Family Be Mine by Tracy Kelleher Page A

you’re more than generous, but clearly none of you has the time or the lifestyle or…whatever to make it all work.”
    Penny cleared her throat.
    â€œYes, Mother?” Sarah snapped, losing her patience. She heard Lena breathe in sharply. Sarah sighed, realizing she had sounded mean. “Sorry, Mom, I’m just tired. You had something to say?”
    â€œI was supposed to leave tomorrow. Your lovely friend Katarina is taking me to the airport. But under the circumstances, I think the best solution is for me to call your father and tell him I’m staying here with you until the baby comes,” Penny said.
    â€œMom, that’s really sweet of you to offer, but you’reafraid to drive on Route One, and you don’t know how to parallel park. What would you do in town?”
    â€œI could learn.”
    â€œBut you know that Dad will starve if you’re not there to shop and cook.”
    â€œThat’s not true. He’s quite fond of Applebee’s, even if it is a bit pricey for our budget.” Penny paused. “I know, he could come out here with me for part of the time. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
    Sarah held up her hand. “Mom. Mom,” she repeated. “I love you dearly, I really do. So I love you enough to tell you that while your offer is really and truly generous, we both know it would never work. First of all, I live in a one-bedroom apartment.”
    She held up her hand when Penny was about to object. “And, no, you and Dad cannot sleep on the floor, and I can barely get up off the floor at this point, so that’s out. Besides, we both know that we can’t live under the same roof for more than three days max. After that, I would be worried that Dad would be bored or anxious about the farm, or that you would think my baseboards weren’t clean enough.”
    â€œI always did prefer a wet cloth over a dry one,” Penny commented.
    â€œWhat’s a baseboard?” Hunt asked.
    No one listened. Except Lena. She walked closer to him, stood on tiptoe and tapped him on the upper arm, the same arm that was now holding an empty glass.
    Hunt looked down.
    â€œNever mind the baseboards,” she said. She looked at him through narrowed eyes, and then began lurching her head repeatedly to the side.
    â€œI’m sorry. Do you need something?”
    â€œYoung people these days,” Lena muttered, and kicked him in the shin.
    â€œOw!” Hunt said loudly.
    Katarina snapped her fingers. “I’ve got it.”
    Lena breathed a sigh of relief. “Finally!”
    Katarina climbed over Julie’s long legs and sat on the coffee table in front of Sarah. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. What about Hunt here? He’d be perfect. You already know each other, and as far as I can tell, he’s not doing a thing.”
    â€œWhat do you mean I’m not doing anything? Just because I’ve given up wearing a watch and carrying a BlackBerry doesn’t mean I’m not busy. Look, I—I have a new dog to take care of,” Hunt stammered. He stared longingly at his empty wineglass.
    Katarina looked over. “Oh, come off it, Hunt. It’s as clear as daylight that you’re drifting. I went through a long rehab, too, and I know what it feels like. But I can also appreciate how important it is to trust the instincts of those who care about you.”
    Ben walked in rubbing his hands together. “It’s cold out there.” He surveyed the faces in the room. “By the looks of things, it’s not exactly cozy in here, either.”
    Katarina reached out and he came to stand next to her. She grabbed his fists and kissed them lightly. She looked at him and a silent communication passed between them. Then she turned back to Hunt and confronted him squarely in the eye. “Do it.”
    Hunt shifted his gaze to Ben. “You’re just in time to protect me from your