Just a Kiss: The Bradfords, Book 5 Read Online Free

nodded. “I do. Hang on, hear me out,” he said when Kevin started to argue that the idea was ridiculous. “Look at you. You take care of people all the time—the Center and Dooley’s dad and Katherine and the others.”
    The Center was the Bradford Youth Center, a place for at risk teens, founded by his friends’ father. Kevin and the rest of his friends spent several hours a week there. Then there was Doug Sr., Dooley’s dad. He’d had a stroke several years ago and needed help with general, day to day things. Kevin filled in when others couldn’t be there, but he also genuinely liked hanging out with Dooley and his family, so often showed up even if his help wasn’t needed. And Katherine was one of three older ladies who Kevin, Sam, Mac and Dooley took care of by helping with the general upkeep of their homes and cars, allowing them to stay independent but safe.
    He couldn’t argue that his life seemed filled with people who needed him.
    But that didn’t mean that adding a ten-year-old boy to his routine was a good idea.
    “I don’t even know Drew, though,” he protested. What kid wanted to move in with a total stranger for six months? “Doesn’t she have any friends?”
    “Sure, if he needed a place for a couple of days,” Steve said, sliding off the bed and pacing toward him. “This is six months. This is something family does.”
    “He’s your family,” Kevin said.
    “He’s your little brother. Like it or not.”
    Kevin felt like someone had kicked him in the chest with a steel-toed shoe.
    His dad was right. Drew was his brother.
    He’d never had a brother. Had never been the big brother to anyone.
    “Yeah, but…” The protest was weak, but he felt like he had to make it. “What about Jill?” Kevin asked of his sister.
    “Jill’s too far away. We can’t just ship the kid off,” Steve said. “And you’re a terrific choice,” Steve said. “You’re successful, stable, caring, responsible. You’d be a great role model for a kid Drew’s age.” Clearly Steve had spent a lot of time thinking about this and preparing his speech. “And you can teach him about God.”
    The steel-toed shoe kicked him again. His father never wanted to talk about God with Kevin. He’d tried over and over since he’d become a Christian.
    “What?”
    “I’ve been watching you,” Steve said, pacing back to the bed but facing Kevin without sitting down. “You’re a new guy since you started believing and going to church and everything.”
    He was, of course. He’d given up women, partying, swearing…the works.
    “I’m so proud of the man you’ve become,” Steve said. “I can’t give Drew much—or really anything—but you can. And I can give him to you. That is probably the best thing I can do for him.”
    Kevin stared at his father. That steel-toed shoe kept coming. His chest felt bruised and tight. He couldn’t let air in or out adequately and he felt a little dizzy. He slumped into the blue plastic chair by the door.
    “I know I’m not much of a churchgoer,” Steve went on.
    Kevin almost snorted at that. His mother and father had last been inside a church when Aunt Kathy died. Six years ago. And the service had taken under an hour.
    “And I’m not sure what exactly I believe. But,” Steve continued, “I believe there’s something to all that church stuff. I’ve always been proud of you, always loved you, but since you’ve been doing all this Jesus stuff you’ve become, well…” Steve looked a little embarrassed, “… the best man I know.”
    Kevin concentrated on breathing. He was half shocked, half panicked at this point.
    The last time his father had said he was proud of him had been after they’d won against Florida in the National Championship game his senior year at the University of Nebraska. Up to that point, every other time had been about sports too.
    Now his dad was proud of him for something else. And the something else was big. Kevin’s decision to embrace