Part-Time Wife. Сьюзен Мэллери

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СКАЧАТЬ the job temporarily. For five weeks. In the meantime, I’ll find someone permanent.”

      Neither boy said anything. Craig fought back a feeling of frustration. How was he supposed to explain and make up for the ongoing turmoil in his children’s lives? It would be different if they had the stability of two parents, but there was just him. He was doing the best he could, but sometimes, like now, he had the feeling it wasn’t nearly enough.

      “We’ve been alone for ten minutes, Dad,” C.J. said. “We didn’t burn the house down.”

      “Congratulations,” Craig said. “As I told you before, my neighbor could only stay with them for an hour, so I really appreciate you coming back with me.” He glanced at his watch. Damn. He was late already.

      “I think your dad has to go to work. Why don’t we go inside so he can show me everything, then be on his way?” Jill reached for Danny. Surprisingly, the boy let her lift him down. “You’re heavy,” she said admiringly. “You must be big for your age.”

      “He’s a shorty,” C.J. said, but his tone wasn’t unkind.

      “Am not!”

      Jill bent down so she and Danny were at eye level. “I don’t think you’re short.”

      “That’s ‘coz you’re shrimpy, too,” he told her.

      “Don’t you know all the best things come in small packages?” They smiled at each other.

      Craig picked up the suitcase again. “Lead the way,” he said.

      C.J. and Danny took off through the garage. Jill followed more slowly.

      “I really appreciate you doing this,” he said.

      “I’m sure it will be fine.” She spoke calmly, but when she glanced at him he could see the panic in her eyes. “It’s just been a while since I was around kids.”

      “It’s like riding a bike. You don’t forget.”

      “Are you saying that because you’re an expert?”

      He paused in the middle of the garage. “No, because I’m a concerned father who’s about to leave you alone with his three kids. I’m sort of hoping it’s true so that everything will be okay.”

      “Don’t worry. We’ll survive.”

      “C.J. and Danny won’t be much of a problem. They’re easygoing, although some things still scare Danny.”

      “He’s only six. What would you expect?”

      “Exactly,” he said, pleased that she was sympathetic. “Ben may not be so easy.”

      “He’s the oldest?”

      He nodded. “He’s twelve.”

      “Does he get in a lot of trouble?”

      “No. He doesn’t do much of anything. He watches TV and plays video games.” Craig didn’t know what to do for his oldest. He didn’t understand the boy’s reluctance to participate in anything. Ben was the only one old enough to remember his mother. He didn’t like to talk about it, but Craig knew he missed her. Maybe he even felt responsible for her leaving. But he’d never been able to get his son to talk about it.

      Nothing had been normal since Krystal left. Not that it was so great before or that he’d ever once wanted her to come back. Hell, he didn’t know what was normal anymore.

      He turned around and pointed to the black sport-utility vehicle. “This is for you. You’ll need it to take the boys places. C.J. plays several sports, and Danny is starting Pee-Wee league. The equipment fits in the back easily.”

      “Groceries, too. I think all boys do is eat.”

      Craig didn’t want to think about that. About Ben and how much weight he’d gained. “Yeah,” he said. He walked toward the door leading into the house. “Here’s the key.” He touched a ring and key hanging from a hook on the wall. “It’s an automatic, so you shouldn’t have any trouble driving it.”

      She looked at the large truck-size vehicle. “As long as I don’t have to parallel park, I’ll be fine.”

      He opened the door and waited for her to step inside. She did so, then gasped audibly. He looked over her head and saw why.

      There was a half bath on the right and the laundry room on the left. Piles of clothing toppled out of both rooms into the small hallway. More clothing was stacked in the family room. There were books, school backpacks, newspapers and toys littering the floor, coffee table and sofa. One end of the big dark blue leather sectional was buried under jackets and a pile of clean clothes he’d managed to run through the washer and dryer the previous evening. He’d asked the boys to sort out their belongings and take them upstairs, but no one had bothered.

      Shoes formed an intricate pattern across the rug. Magazines for kids, car lovers, computer buffs and music fans had been tossed everywhere. Stacks of newspapers, more magazines, toys and a few actual books filled the bookcases on either side of the stone fireplace. The entertainment center to the right of the fireplace contained a TV, which was on, a VCR and stereo equipment. Videos had been piled next to the unit. The shelf where they belonged was bare.

      Craig shifted her suitcase to his left hand and motioned to the mess. “I don’t know what to say,” he murmured. “I hadn’t realized it had gotten so bad.”

      Jill turned and looked at him. Her green eyes were wide, her mouth open. “You didn’t realize? How could you not? This isn’t a mess it’s a…a…” She closed her mouth. “I don’t know what it is.”

      “I guess I should have gotten in a cleaning service.”

      He glanced around the room. C.J. and Danny were standing in front of the entrance to the kitchen. He was glad. If Jill saw that, she would turn tail and run. Damn it, he couldn’t blame her, either. How had this happened? Why hadn’t he been paying attention?

      “There are four men living here,” he said, by way of an explanation.

      “More like four wild animals.”

      Danny chuckled at her comment. Jill smiled at the boy and the tightness at the base of Craig’s neck eased a little. Maybe she wasn’t going to leave.

      “I’ll get a service in,” he said.

      “I’ll arrange it first thing Monday morning,” she said, nudging a soccer ball out of her way so she could step farther into the room. “You don’t want a nanny, Craig, you want a part-time slave. Anybody around here know what a vacuum looks like?”

      “I do!” Danny said brightly. “But I’ve never used it.”

      “That seems to be a family trait.”

      Craig set the suitcase down. “I’m sorry, Jill. I should have noticed what had happened to this place. We haven’t talked about salary yet and I—”

      She held up her hand to stop him. “No. I can’t be bribed. I agreed to do this for Kim СКАЧАТЬ