Edward (BBW Western Bear Shifter Romance) (Rodeo Bears Book 1) by Becca Fanning Page A
Authors: Becca Fanning
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“So yeah, I guess I am asking you on a date.”
“Okay,” Talia said before she could even think about it. “Yes. I’ll go with you to dinner.”
Chapter Two
The whole drive home, Talia’s mind was spinning. She couldn’t stop thinking about everything: her son, James, Danny, now Alec and the crazy day she’d had….it was enough to make her feel like she needed to lie down.
Talia was relieved to see the babysitter and James sitting together on the front lawn. The sitter, Amelia, got to her feet as soon as Talia’s small car pulled into the driveway. She ran over with a twisted grimace on her face.
“He’s doing it again,” she said quickly, before Talia had even climbed out of the car. “He’s chewing on the table legs.”
Talia frowned. “Didn’t the sour spray work?”
Amelia shook her head. “No,” she said. “I sprayed it on, but it was like he didn’t even notice. He crawled over there and just started chewing!” She looked disgusted. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Talia. Your kid is just nuts!”
Talia walked over to where James was sitting on the grass and scooped him up, gasping a little at her son’s weight. Even though he was slightly less than two years old, he weighed as much as an older child. He was bigger, too – strangers regularly asked Talia where he went to pre-school, or even kindergarten.
“There’s nothing wrong with him,” Talia said defensively. She gazed into James’s golden-brown eyes. He looked like he was in a good mood; his eyes were crinkled up at the corners. “He’s just bored, that’s all. Kids do weird things when they’re bored.”
“I never chewed on wood when I was a kid,” Amelia said in a snotty voice. She kicked at the asphalt driveway with the toe of her sneaker. “You really need to do something about him, Talia. He’s out of control.”
Talia rolled her eyes. “He’s fine,” she snapped. “All of the doctors have agreed.”
Amelia blushed. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m tired. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Talia nodded. “Amelia, would you be willing to stay late for an extra fifty dollars? I have….a meeting,” she lied. “I should be home by ten or so.”
Amelia frowned. “A meeting that goes until ten?”
“We always go out for dinner afterwards,” Talia ad-libbed. For some reason, she didn’t feel quite like disclosing about her date. Even though Amelia was young, Talia had the feeling she’d be judgmental about a single mom dating with such a young kid at home.
“Ah,” Amelia said. Talia couldn’t tell whether or not her lie had been convincing. “Sure,” she said. “Thanks.”
When Amelia left, Talia carried James inside. He seemed content to sit on the kitchen floor and bang against pots and pans. Talia perched on the counter and watched him. She hated to admit it, but part of her felt that Amelia was right about something. James had always seemed a little different, not bad, just…. off , somehow. He was incredibly hairy for a toddler – he’d come out of the womb with a full head of hair, and now it was shaggy and long. Plus, he loved chewing on wood, and he had surprising strength for a child of his age.
He definitely wasn’t like any of Talia’s children at school.
Talia shivered as she remembered the day she’d told Danny that she was pregnant. At first, she’d thought about lying. Telling him that by some miracle, she’d managed to get pregnant! It had seemed like a good idea when she was lying in bed, trying to think of how to break the news to him. But in the morning light, she knew that she couldn’t lie. She and Danny had been together for years, and he deserved the truth. She knew that he’d be angry, but she wasn’t expecting him to fly into a blind rage. Talia had been afraid for her life, and she’d thrown Danny out after he threatened to hurt her and the unborn baby. Ever since then, they’d
“Okay,” Talia said before she could even think about it. “Yes. I’ll go with you to dinner.”
Chapter Two
The whole drive home, Talia’s mind was spinning. She couldn’t stop thinking about everything: her son, James, Danny, now Alec and the crazy day she’d had….it was enough to make her feel like she needed to lie down.
Talia was relieved to see the babysitter and James sitting together on the front lawn. The sitter, Amelia, got to her feet as soon as Talia’s small car pulled into the driveway. She ran over with a twisted grimace on her face.
“He’s doing it again,” she said quickly, before Talia had even climbed out of the car. “He’s chewing on the table legs.”
Talia frowned. “Didn’t the sour spray work?”
Amelia shook her head. “No,” she said. “I sprayed it on, but it was like he didn’t even notice. He crawled over there and just started chewing!” She looked disgusted. “I don’t know what to do anymore, Talia. Your kid is just nuts!”
Talia walked over to where James was sitting on the grass and scooped him up, gasping a little at her son’s weight. Even though he was slightly less than two years old, he weighed as much as an older child. He was bigger, too – strangers regularly asked Talia where he went to pre-school, or even kindergarten.
“There’s nothing wrong with him,” Talia said defensively. She gazed into James’s golden-brown eyes. He looked like he was in a good mood; his eyes were crinkled up at the corners. “He’s just bored, that’s all. Kids do weird things when they’re bored.”
“I never chewed on wood when I was a kid,” Amelia said in a snotty voice. She kicked at the asphalt driveway with the toe of her sneaker. “You really need to do something about him, Talia. He’s out of control.”
Talia rolled her eyes. “He’s fine,” she snapped. “All of the doctors have agreed.”
Amelia blushed. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m tired. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Talia nodded. “Amelia, would you be willing to stay late for an extra fifty dollars? I have….a meeting,” she lied. “I should be home by ten or so.”
Amelia frowned. “A meeting that goes until ten?”
“We always go out for dinner afterwards,” Talia ad-libbed. For some reason, she didn’t feel quite like disclosing about her date. Even though Amelia was young, Talia had the feeling she’d be judgmental about a single mom dating with such a young kid at home.
“Ah,” Amelia said. Talia couldn’t tell whether or not her lie had been convincing. “Sure,” she said. “Thanks.”
When Amelia left, Talia carried James inside. He seemed content to sit on the kitchen floor and bang against pots and pans. Talia perched on the counter and watched him. She hated to admit it, but part of her felt that Amelia was right about something. James had always seemed a little different, not bad, just…. off , somehow. He was incredibly hairy for a toddler – he’d come out of the womb with a full head of hair, and now it was shaggy and long. Plus, he loved chewing on wood, and he had surprising strength for a child of his age.
He definitely wasn’t like any of Talia’s children at school.
Talia shivered as she remembered the day she’d told Danny that she was pregnant. At first, she’d thought about lying. Telling him that by some miracle, she’d managed to get pregnant! It had seemed like a good idea when she was lying in bed, trying to think of how to break the news to him. But in the morning light, she knew that she couldn’t lie. She and Danny had been together for years, and he deserved the truth. She knew that he’d be angry, but she wasn’t expecting him to fly into a blind rage. Talia had been afraid for her life, and she’d thrown Danny out after he threatened to hurt her and the unborn baby. Ever since then, they’d
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