Page 4 of The Forbidden Sitter
“I loved it, Brad!” I informed him, over a mouthful of lusciously buttery breadstick. “Mmm. I missed these. I mean, I knew I would love it. But it’s even better than I thought. The teachers, the campus, just … everything is amazing. And the classes. They’re all theory right now, but I’m more convinced than ever that teaching little ones is where I want tobe.”
“No surprise there. What were you when you first started babysitting? Three?” The tiny wrinkles that etched the sides of his grin reminded me that he was in his early thirties. That age group of people who had kids, even though he didn’t have a wife and kids yet,himself.
“No, seven. I watched Lainey Bradshaw down the street while her mom took piano lessons in the next room.” Our conversation was briefly interrupted as our drinksarrived.
He gave the waitress a nod as his eyes roamed up and down her body. “Thanks.” He leaned forward, steepling his fingers while resting his elbows on the table, obviously trying to look distinguished. “You doing okay this afternoon,” he looked at her nametag that was strategically pinned just above her left breast, “Meghan?”
Gag me with a spoon. I groaned, kicking him hard under thetable.
Her pretty green eyes lit up as she smiled at my brother. “I’m doing fine.You?”
“Pretty damn good.” He winked at her. “Thanks,sweetie.”
With a tiny wave and flushed cheeks, she left us alone as he watched her go. I rolled myeyes.
“Some things never change. So, Brad. Have any of your friends had kids since I left? I’ve missed working with kids who aren’t just textbook studies. And I want to try out some of the things I’velearned.”
“Noneof my close friends have kids, kiddo. Sorry.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of car keys. “I have a surprise foryou.”
“No way,” I mumbled, staring at his palm without touching the silvery keys. “Brad…”
Brad only had the most badass automobiles. He’d given everyone in the family one of his used ones at one time or another. Brad’s used cars weren’t like normal ones. Bentleys, Mercedes, Beemers—you name the expensive car, he had owned one or more at one time or another, and my big brother had always been generous with his hand-me-downs around hisfriends.
He jingled the keys playfully. “Sayplease…”
“Brad,” I repeated, just as our pizza arrived and we had to wait till everything was settled in front of us. When Megan sauntered away, I turned back to my brother. “Tell me youdidn’t.”
He placed the keys in my outstretched palm. “You need transportation now that you’re back here. Taxis eat up way too much spare cash. You are now the proud new owner of a gently-used Carpathian Grey, Jaguar F-Type.”
Automatically, my fingers snapped shut around the keys. Even so, I had to protest. I mean, how did it look for a brother, even one as wealthy as mine, to be doling out hundred-thousand-dollar cars to his sister? I was no mooch. “You really shouldn’t have. I mean it, Brad. And I can’t even promise to pay you back, because that would take me 5,000 years on a teacher’ssalary.”
He winked. “I’ll figure out some way for you to repay me.” Lifting a dripping cheesy slice, he dug in, grinning around his hugebite.
A little in a daze, I got up and hugged him hard before sitting back down. “You are crazy,” I informed him, reaching for my own slice. “But thank you. Wow. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And don’t even start about insurance and crap. I’ll find a way to pay forit.”
I had no idea how, but I would, I promisedmyself.
Chapter3
Gannon
Only three daysafter having the DNA test done on the little boy, I held the envelope in myhand.
Janine was by my side in my office as I pulled out the sheet of paper that would either change my entire world or leave me free. “Before you read it, tell me what you’re hoping for, Mr.Forester.”
I’d been turning it over in my head ever since the bitch had stalked in and out of my office in less than five minutes, steamrollering my day and leaving my mouth close to hanging with hernews.
“That he’smine.”
It wasn’t that I wanted the responsibility of a kid. Far from it. But Cassandra had been such an obviously awful mother. And Braiden looked like such a nice kid. He deserved better. Waybetter.
With a nod, Janine placed her hand on my shoulder. “Then I’ll pray that way for you,sir.”
Closing my eyes, I finished pulling the paper out, then I opened it, wanting to surprise myself. “Ninety-nine percent.” I blinked and felt the strangest shifting in my newly-discovered heart. “He’smine.”
We remained in silence for a long moment as I stared blankly at the page full of cryptic scientific info, with two bolder words standing out aboveeverything:
Probability of Paternity:99%
