Free Temporary Father (Welcome To Honesty 1) by Anna Adams

rubbed the back of his head. “I pretended nothing was wrong. I’d do it differently if I had another chance.”
    “I’m afraid this is my only chance, too, and I don’t know what to do.” She strangled on her own words. “I’m so afraid.”
    “Where’s Van?”
    “He left tonight. Is something wrong at the cottage? Maybe I can help you.”
    “No, Beth. I came up to see about the two of you. I wish you had Van.”
    She pressed the heels of her palms to her temples. “Thank you.” With new composure, she let her hands fall to her sides. “But I’m sure we’ll be fine, and you’ve already been kind to us.”
    Kind didn’t remotely resemble what he felt, but they were talking intimately because they’d been through similar troubles. “I don’t mean to interfere.”
    “Don’t say that. Eli all but admitted something’s wrong. He let me take him to the GP.” She breathed twice, hard. “Brent—he’s our doctor—talked to Eli on his own, but Eli won’t tell me what they said, and then Brent told me it was a good thing we saw him. None of that would have happened if you hadn’t spoken up.”
    “I am sorry I scared you and then walked off.”
    “You were hurt, too. And I don’t mind being scared if it means he’ll be all right. I’m afraid to leave him alone, but I’m trying to give him room so he knows I trust him.”
    She seemed smaller tonight, her cheeks softer. He wanted to hold her. “How long did your doctor say you’d have to wait?”
    “Until tomorrow. The next day at the most.” Startling him, she took his hand in both of hers. “Thank you again. He means everything to me.”
    Aidan eased his hand free because she was offering gratitude and he needed more. Needed her keenly after living in the strange isolation of Madeline’s illness. Physical contact, especially because he wanted Beth without knowing her, without knowing why, made him back away.
    “I understand Eli,” he said, putting her son between them again. “My father started our company, and as he succeeded, he moved us up the ladder, into nicer houses, with more standoffish neighbors. Eventually, the ones like Mr. Jingles’s lady friend, let us know they wanted nothing to do with our new money.”
    “Your father was probably trying to give you a better life than he had.”
    “I’m not complaining, but I’ve been where Eli is, and it felt as if summer would never come.”
    “Every year?” She moved to the porch rail and sat.
    “Every year,” he said. “Until I made myself popular—with a Harley and a really cool boat.”
    Beth’s confidence returned in a smile that started his heart pumping overtime.
    “I’d rather he was sure of himself instead. I barely managed to replace his video games and my laptop. Van gave Eli one of his old ones.”
    “Weren’t you insured?” That information was none of his business. He could tell by the change in her wide eyes.
    “That’s a long story, and my son and I havealready mired you in our problems.” She pushed her hands down her legs, not knowing she made him ache to follow the slow, graceful progress of her fingers over the curves of her thighs. “Do you want a beer?” she asked.
    “A beer?”
    “You know, to drink?”
    “Sure. No one said I couldn’t.”
    “But maybe alcohol is off limits until your doctor tells you it isn’t.” She looked him over as if everything that had happened during his hospital stay was written on him.
    “I’ll take that beer.”
    “I’ll get two.” She stopped at the front door and looked back, holding it open. “Why are you doing this?”
    “Drinking a beer with you?” He knew exactly what she meant.
    “Why do you keep helping us?”
    “Eli reminded me of Madeline, and I couldn’t walk away.”
    She caught his sleeve. Her touch disturbed him, even with the thin material between them. “Eli’s father isn’t like you. Not that I’m comparing,” she said in a hurry. “But I’ve always promised myself I wouldn’t