Family Ties Read Online Free

herself a lecture on tolerance. Everyone in the galaxy didn’t have to like children the way she did. Of course, they didn’t have to be as nasty and self-righteous about it as he’d been either.
    Except when he’d spoken to Jamie. Had there been a flicker of something – kindness maybe – when he’d knelt to say hello to the little boy? Or had she imagined that?
    Gray placed a couple of bags in the truck, then went digging in the box behind the cab. Andie couldn’t help noticing how his jeans pulled as he bent over the side of his truck. One cheek was clearly defined in his work denims. Not bad.
    Physically, the whole package was put together nicely. His long legs met in a tight butt below a narrow waist. There was something to be said for broad shoulders developed from carrying piles of lumber.
    Yesterday, she’d noticed he was taller than her five foot eight. She could probably wear heels with him if she wanted to. Which she didn’t. Not at all.
    Dark hair. Dark eyes. Strong jaw.
    He hauled a box of tools from the garage then turned toward her house. When the sunlight caught his brown hair, sparking it with warm gold, her fingers got itchy. She remembered a strong chin, brown eyes, and lashes to die for. Without yesterday’s five o’clock shadow, he was even more attractive than she remembered.
    Eye candy.
    Her sister Dina was going to drive her crazy about him, even though he’d been rude and snarly.
    To be fair, though, she had to give him another point. Any man who could quietly load tools in a truck at, she flicked her wrist and checked her watch, five-twenty in the morning must have some redeeming qualities.
    She watched him climb into the cab of the truck, back expertly onto the street and drive off. Must be something about dawn that turned a practical woman’s heart to fantasy. Yesterday, he had been darn unpleasant, yet here she was watching him drive away in his big red machine, thinking about how much of a hunk he was and looking for positive character traits. Maybe Dina was right. Maybe she was lonely.
    Andie jumped to her feet. That was ridiculous. She had four high needs kids. She couldn’t possibly be lonely.
    She might not be lonely but later that day Andie decided Gray probably was.
    She watched his red truck pull into the driveway late that afternoon. He climbed out, moving with the measured, worn pace of a man who’d spent a too long day doing physical activity. He should have someone in there to share his day with, Andie mused as she returned to the kitchen and plopped more chocolate chip cookie dough on the baking pan.
    Someone who would tease away the tired droop of his shoulders, work with him to make a savory meal. Instead he was walking into a quiet, empty house – while hers was anything but. A couple of Billy’s friends were over, shouting and laughing as they played in the back yard. Bonnie was upstairs watching music videos, Chloe had a CD going in her bedroom while Jamie curled up on the family room couch, watching a children’s TV program. Andie bit her lip as she studied this little boy. It did look as if he were watching TV but if it were turned off, she wasn’t positive he’d notice.
    Billy burst into the kitchen. “Mark and Steve both want more cookies.” He eyed the plate on the table. “So do I.”
    The oven timer buzzed. “Go ahead,” Andie advised over the noise. “Only one more each though. You don’t want to ruin supper.”
    “Thanks.” Billy grabbed a handful and dashed away. Chloe wandered in after he’d left, a blue and white plastic plate clutched between her fingers. “All three of my dolls are very very hungry,” she announced.
    Andie fought with her twitching lips as she pulled a tray of hot, fragrant cookies out of the oven, then slid another one in. “They are, are they?”
    “Yes.” Chloe nodded very serious. “They need more cookies.” She set her plate on the table, and started to load it up. “Lots and lots of cookies.”
    Andie