Free Part-Time Wife by Susan Mallery

was staying lighter longer so there would be plenty of time. "What's the homework situation for everyone?"
    "I don't have any," C.J. said quickly.
    "Me, either," Danny piped in.
    Ben didn't bother answering.
    "No one has homework?" They all shook their heads. "Interesting. No homework on a Monday night. Gee, I'm very surprised. I thought everyone would have some homework. But if you say you don't have any, no problem."
    They were all lying, she thought, fighting a grin. But she knew how to fix them. She turned on the radio and found one of those stations playing elevator music. The kind with twenty-year-old songs sung by a no-name group. She turned the radio up just loud enough to be annoying, then joined in.
    Her natural inclination was to sing off-key and this time she didn't fight it. She sang right along, loudly, making up words if she didn't know them.
    The boys stared at each other in disbelief. C.J. clasped his hands around his neck and made a choking sound.
    "Jill?" Danny said. "Why are you singing like that?"
    "Because I want to. If you don't have homework, then there's plenty of time to listen to my singing. I'm going to take the long way home."
    "I've got word lists and a math page," Danny said quickly.
    "Really?" she said, sounding surprised.
    "I've got Spanish and history," Ben said.
    She looked at C.J. in the mirror. He smiled. "Okay, maybe some math and spelling."
    She clicked off the radio. "Ah, the truth at last. Okay, here's the plan. We're going to have a snack and do homework for a half hour, then we'll help Danny with his Pee-Wee tryouts. Then, if there's any homework left, it can be done after dinner."
    "I don't want to," Ben said.
    Jill raised her eyebrows. "Which part doesn't appeal to you?"
    "Helping the pip-squeak. I'm gonna watch TV."
    "But, Ben, you're the oldest. I would have thought you would want to help your brother out. Don't you play Little League?"
    "Not anymore," C.J. said and puffed up his cheeks. "Lard-o is too fat."
    Before she could say anything, Ben launched himself at his younger brother. C.J. grabbed him and they started wrestling together. Jill glanced at the street signs. They were only about three blocks from home, but she wanted to prove a point. She pulled to the side of the road and put the car in park.
    Danny stared at her. She gave him a wink. In the back seat the boys were grunting and squirming. After a couple of minutes, Ben looked up.
    "Aren't you gonna stop us?"
    Jill shrugged.
    C.J. looked around. "Why'd you pull over here?"
    "Because you're acting like animals. It's not safe to drive with loose animals in the car. If you want to settle down, we'll go home. If not, we'll sit here. Oh, look at that girl," she said, pointing to a pretty blonde who was about ten years old. Jill rolled down the window and waved.
    "Don't do that," C.J. said from the back of the car. "She'll see you."
    "That's the point," Jill said, still smiling and waving. The girl waved back uncertainly.
    C.J. groaned and slunk down in his seat. "Please stop."
    "Are you two done?" she asked. "If so, then you can apologize, promise not to do it again and we'll leave."
    "I'm sorry," C.J. said quickly. "Real sorry. I'll never wrestle with Ben in the car again. I swear!"
    She glanced over her shoulder at Ben and raised her eyebrows. "How long do you think it will be until someone you know comes along?"
    "I'm sorry, too," he said. "I won't do it again."
    "Perfect."
    Jill rolled up the window, put the car in drive and headed for home. The last quarter mile was blissfully silent.
    After she'd parked in the garage, the boys climbed out. C.J. paused in front of her. "You're not like our other nannies," he said.
    "I'm not surprised. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
    He grinned. "I'll get back to you."
    * * *
    "I want one more slice," Danny whined, inching closer to the counter.
    "Me, too," Ben said, stacking his books on top of each other. The boys had been doing their homework at the kitchen table.
    "After we