Marrying a Delacourt by Sherryl Woods

Author:Sherryl Woods
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Man-Woman Relationships, And Baby Makes Three, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, General
ISBN: 9780373243525
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2000-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

At the Italian restaurant, Josh could barely sit still. He kept poking his feet out to stare at his new boots. Then he’d get up and clomp around the table, trying to imitate the rolling gait of a cowboy. Apparently he’d watched a lot of westerns, since as far as Michael knew he’d never met any real cowboy besides Slade and Slade walked with a limp thanks to a tragic accident that had cost him his rodeo career and almost his life.

“I think he likes the boots,” Grace noted.

“What was your first clue?” Michael responded, chuckling.

“He’s acting like a jerk,” Jamie declared with adolescent disdain. “They’re just shoes.”

Michael exchanged an amused look with Grace, then regarded Jamie intently. “Guess that means you’d rather we’d gotten you something else, instead of letting you keep the boots that were too big for Josh.”

Jamie squirmed uncomfortably. “Nah, they’re cool.”

“Then let’s not make fun of your brother,” Michael chided.

“Yeah, whatever.”

Grace grinned at Jamie. “There’s one advantage to Josh being away from the table,” she leaned over to confide.

“What?”

“More pizza for you.”

Jamie’s expression brightened. “Hey, yeah. Gimme that last piece.” He was already reaching for it, when he thought better of it. He glanced at Michael. “You want it?”

“No, but you might check with Grace.”

“It was her idea for me to take it.”

“Ask anyway. It’s only polite.”

Jamie rolled his eyes, but he dutifully turned to Grace. “You want another piece of pizza?”

“No, it’s all yours.”

Jamie shot a triumphant look at Michael. “Told you so,” he said, grabbing the piece and taking a huge bite out of it to stake his claim.

As soon as he’d wolfed down the pizza, he went off to join Josh, who was watching some kids play the video games at the back of the restaurant. In minutes, he was back again.

“Could we have some quarters to play?” he asked. “We’ll do extra work at the ranch to earn them.”

Michael was impressed with Jamie’s willingness to work for the money. The kid had learned a lot of lessons, either from the foster parents he claimed to disdain or from his struggles to make it on his own whenever he came for Josh. He took nothing for granted. He expected to work for whatever he got.

Michael handed him a couple of dollars. “Ask them to change them for you at the register,” he said. “Consider it payment for the work you’ve already done feeding the horses.”

“Thanks,” Jamie said.

“Those kids are so eager to please,” Michael said. “How could they have given their foster parents so much trouble?”

“Maybe we’re seeing another side of them just because they’re so grateful to be together,” Grace suggested.

“You ever see a kid who could pull off a charade like this for more than a few minutes at a time? These are good kids, Grace.”

“I’m not about to argue with you. I think they’re terrific. But maybe we’re seeing them at their best, because they see us as their last chance,” Grace said quietly.

Michael didn’t know what to say to that.

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