One to Tell the Grandkids Read Online Free

spared much thought for the man who had jumped in to save Slate from the stupidity spewing from his mouth. He was a handful of inches taller and broader across the shoulders than Slate. His hair was a lighter brown and quite a bit shorter, though it was still on the longish side.
    “Whatever. Let’s get this over with.” She raised her hand to wave the two over. When they saw her, she clasped her fingers together on the table in an attempt to get them to stop shaking. As they sat down and everyone was introduced, Taryn watched Slate closely. Everything about his expression and posture screamed his discomfort. She was sure he was hating every minute of this.
    “I want to apologize for my reaction earlier. You gotta understand I was caught off guard, and all sorts of scenarios were running through my head when you showed up out of nowhere. The last thing I expected was for you to tell me you were . . .”
    “Pregnant?”
    His gaze dropped to the table. “Yeah.”
    “Yeah, well. I promise you’re not the only one surprised by all this.”
    “I have a couple of questions, if it’s okay?” The way he fidgeted in his seat was driving Taryn crazy, but she waved for him to continue. “Okay. Well, um, please don’t take this the wrong way, but—”
    “Oh, for Christ’s sake.” Taryn already knew what he was about to ask. “Despite how it may seem, I do not sleep around. It just so happens you’re the only person I’ve slept with in over six months. I already told you. Yes, it’s yours. Yes, I’m sure.”
    His eyes flicked to hers, and she was taken aback to see he looked as irritated as she felt. “That wasn’t what I was going to say.”
    “Listen, I shouldn’t have bothered you with any of this. It’s not like I need your money or anything. I can raise this kid on my own. It’s pretty obvious we’re two different people, and someone like you doesn’t need to be burdened with a responsibility like a baby.”
    “Hey.”
    The sharp protest came not from Slate, who looked livid, but from his friend. What had he said his name was? Caleb , she thought.
    His eyes looked amber—the dark color of whiskey when it was held up to the light. And they were glinting with anger as he glared at her.
    Caleb took a deep breath, as if calming himself before he spoke. “Listen to me, both of you. This could get very ugly very fast, but it doesn’t have to. You’ve already established that this is a surprise and not a good one. Assumptions from either side aren’t going to help.”
    “What are you? His boyfriend?” Taryn muttered, but there was no conviction in her voice.
    “Why don’t we all start over,” Rob said, his voice raised a fraction to talk over the beginnings of any argument that might have cropped up over her comment. “I’m Robin, and that’s Caleb. Concerned friends.” He put his hand on Taryn’s shoulder. “This is Taryn, and you are Slayton. Taryn is going to have a baby, and everyone is going to come at this as the adults they are.” He squeezed Taryn’s shoulders. “Right?”
    “I’d like that chance,” Slate said. For the first time since he sat down, he looked at Taryn directly. “Please.”
    Taryn closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before she felt calmer. She was glad Rob had convinced Mel to stay behind. She wasn’t as coolheaded as he was, and she would have stoked Taryn’s anger. Opening her eyes, she nodded at Slate. “Okay.”
    “What I was going to ask earlier was where you lived.”
    “Why would I have taken that the wrong way?”
    “I don’t know. It’s kind of a creepy question coming from a stranger, isn’t it?”
    “Oh.” Taryn’s cheeks heated. “I live in Orange.”
    “Really?” Caleb said. “I live in Tustin.” Tustin was the neighboring city to Orange, about thirty-five miles away from downtown Los Angeles in Orange County.
    Taryn offered him a brief smile before looking back at Slate. “I didn’t mean it to come out like that, but I