Page 19 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell

“I’m fine, except we were supposed to have breakfast this morning, and you never showed.”

Gracie covered her mouth, trying to fight back exhausted laughter. “I am so sorry, Darrin, I’ve just had so much going on, it completely slipped my mind.”

Her apology didn’t seem to ease his irritation. “What’s been going on?”

“Well, it’s the craziest thing, but on Thanksgiving, I was delivering meals for the church, and at one of the houses, there was this abandoned toddler, and I offered to take her home for the night—”

“Why would you do that? Why didn’t you just let social services handle it?” he asked.

Gracie was a bit taken aback by his attitude. “Because it was Thanksgiving, and they couldn’t get out right away. She’s so sweet, I just couldn’t leave her at the police station.”

“Hmmm,” was all he said.

“Anyway, they couldn’t find a placement for her, and since they’re still trying to locate next of kin, my friend Viola is petitioning for temporary guardianship for me.”

“Wait, what? You mean you’re fostering achild?”

The way he said it, as if she’d told him she’d adopted a skunk, send a flash of rage through her body.

“So?”

“Isn’t that something you should have discussed with me?” he asked.

Gracie almost laughed her ass off. “I’m telling you now. I didn’t need to discuss anything with you. I’ve been dating you, what? Three weeks? Maybe seven dates, total? I’m also in the process of buying a house. Is that something you thought I should run past you too?”

“When you’re seeing someone, it’s only right to discuss life decisions that may alter your current status, and a child is one of those things.”

“Wow, the balls on you. I had no idea you hated kids.”

“I do not hate children, but I’m definitely not ready for them rightnow.”

Gracie’s temples throbbed. She didn’t even care to point out that her guardianship was temporary. The bottom line was she had no interest in continuing a relationship with Darrin, and if she’d been honest, instead of trying to hold on for her parents’ sake, she wouldn’t even be having this rather aggravating conversation now.

“I think we’ve said all there is to say, then, don’t you think?”

“Excuse me?”

Did he actually sound surprised? “I think it’s obvious that I’m not what you’re looking for, so it’s better this ends now before we get more involved.”

The silence on the other end of the line was so thick, you could have cut it with a knife. Then he snarled, “I planned on dumping you anyway. I was just trying to get laid.”

“Stay classy, Darrin,” she said, pressing the red phone icon.

What a gigantic prick.

How could she not have noticed what an über tool he was? Because all she’d been looking at was the fancy job. She’d known her mother would have gone absolutely apeshit over a potential son-in-law who was a settled, successful lawyer.

Oh God, her mother. What the hell was she going to say to her?

She couldn’t go through two weeks with her mother heaving great sighs of disappointment and talking about everyone else’s grandkids.

At least Mr. and Mrs. Winter had been overjoyed she was interested in their house, especially when she’d offered to put fifty thousand down. They’d emailed her the contract this morning, and she’d called her attorney, Sophia Perez, to look it over with her.

She was ninety-nine-point-nine percent sure she had the house; now she had just three weeks to find a guy.

* * *

Eric walked into the Rock Canyon Veterinary Clinic and Shelter, not really sure what he was doing there. Maybe it had to do with how quiet the house had been after the guys had left last night, but he’d driven out of his garage straight here.

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