Make Way for Babies! by Laurie Paige

Author:Laurie Paige
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The next morning Ally bent to retrieve the newspaper, which was partially hidden beneath a boxwood hedge, then straightened without picking it up. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Someone had sprayed black paint all over the cottage. And it had only been painted three weeks ago when the carpentry work on the addition was finished. It was just the last straw.

The familiar rush of tears stung her nose and eyes. She was tired, she reminded herself. It had been almost dawn before she could sleep after the contretemps with Spence.

In addition, Nick was not sleeping well at all. She had finally moved him into her bedroom so his fussing wouldn’t waken Hannah, who had slept six hours.

She sighed, no closer to figuring out her relationship, or even a neutral meeting ground, with Spence than she’d been at three that morning. Neither could she figure out why anyone would spray-paint her house in black looping lines and circles from one end to the other.

Nothing made sense anymore.

Staring at the house, she suppressed the need to sit down and cry over it all. There wasn’t time.

The telephone was ringing when she returned to the kitchen after walking all around the house, surveying the damage. Not one wall had been spared.

“Good morning,” her mom-in-law greeted her when she answered. “I thought I’d volunteer to come over this afternoon and let you rest or run errands or whatever. I want to play with my grand-kids. Would that be okay?”

Ally was so overcome by this kindness that the tears formed again. Her throat closed up.

“Ally?”

“Yes, I…that would be great.” Her voice had an embarrassing wobble. She swallowed hard, but couldn’t get rid of the knot in her throat.

“Did Nick keep you up again last night?”

She managed to put a bit of humor in her tone. “Oh, yes. He is a very demanding young man.”

“Just like his uncle,” Rose assured her. “There were times when I wanted to give Spence back, but I couldn’t find anyone to take him.”

Ally laughed with the older woman, but her heart wasn’t in it. A sigh worked its way out of her. “Someone painted graffiti all over the house last night. I can’t imagine who…or when. I was awake most of it.”

“So that’s why you’re upset.”

Rose sounded worried, and Ally was sorry she’d mentioned it.

“It was probably just some kids pulling a prank. I still have the original paint. It won’t take long to paint over it. Since it’s Saturday, I’ll have all weekend.”

“Oh, honey, don’t try to do it yourself. I’m sure Spence will be glad—”

“No!” Ally regretted the sharpness in her tone. She tried again with a more reasonable inflection. “There’s no need to bother him. He’s done enough.”

“He won’t mind—”

“I’ll take care of it,” she said firmly.

“All right. I’ll see you after lunch. I’m at the office, but expect to be home by noon. Shall I bring us something from the diner?”

“I have a pot roast on. Why don’t you join me?”

Rose agreed to come for lunch, but only if she could bring dessert.

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