The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Mayberry

Author:Sarah Mayberry [Mayberry, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-10-28T04:00:00+00:00

“I LIKE HER. A whole lot more than I thought I would,” Derek said the moment Ethan picked up the phone later that evening.

Ethan reached for the remote to turn down the volume on the television. He’d come home to watch football after dropping Alex off at her place and was lying with his feet up on the couch.

“Phew. Huge relief. Thank God.” Ethan didn’t bother hiding the sarcasm in his voice.

“I thought the whole idea of her coming to the party was so we could get to know her.”

“So she could get to know you and run screaming for the hills before it was too late if she needed to,” he corrected his brother.

“Anyway. She’s nice. I was expecting some shoulder-pad-wearing corporate ball-breaker, but she was like you said. Smart, funny. Normal.”

“I’m sure she’d be very flattered to hear that description.”

“We should all do dinner one night. The four of us.”

Ethan smiled. Couldn’t help himself. His brother was about as subtle as a sledgehammer.

“We’re not dating, buddy. And you and Kay need to get a life.”

“Tell me you don’t think she’s hot. I dare you.”

Ethan was not having this conversation with his brother. It would only create false expectations that were never going to be fulfilled. Even if there had been that moment on the grass when he’d looked into Alex’s eyes and felt an almost overwhelming compulsion to press his lips against hers to see if she tasted as sweet and spicy as she looked. A moment of madness, obviously, and not something he was about to share with his brother.

He deliberately changed the subject, asking how Jamie was after the excitement of the day. After a short pause Derek took the cue and let the subject drop.

They talked for a few more minutes, then Kay roped Derek into service to help get the boys to bed and they ended the call.

Ethan turned up the sound on the television but found it hard to stay focused on the game.

He’d had a good day today. The kids had been great fun, as always, and as much as his brother’s old-lady nagging ticked him off sometimes, he’d enjoyed his brother’s company. And, yes, it had been nice to see Alex laughing with Kay or kneeling to talk to Tim or sitting watching the mayhem with a big smile on her face. It had been good to eat a sausage on a bun with her and to tease her about her well-concealed sweet tooth when he caught her going back for seconds on the trifle. He’d expected it to be a little awkward, had worried that maybe Derek’s ambivalence about what they were doing would show through, but Alex had fit right in.

Which boded well for the future. If the procedure was successful and Alex got pregnant, there would be no problems with her mixing with his family at birthdays and Christmases. If she wanted to do so, of course. There was no guarantee of any of that, given the nature of their agreement.

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