Free Created In Fire (Art of Love Series) by Donna McDonald Page A

boots. “Carrie is sick again and asking for you.”
    “That means the soda was a bad idea. It probably didn’t agree with her. Now we have to find something else to help her blood sugar,” Michael said briskly, walking off and leaving a group of very uncomfortable people in his wake.
    “I guess I should introduce myself. I’m Michael’s future step-mother, Jessica Daniels. Why don’t I show you the living room? Shane, will you take care of the pizza when it comes?”
    Shane grinned at her. “Sure, Mom .”
    Jessica gave him a look promising a serious discussion later.
    “If you want to live to write that book of yours, Shane Larson, you will behave today. Don’t make me tell your real mother on you. Ellen is just in the living room, and we’re getting friendlier all the time. I know how much you’ve been hoping for that.”
    Shane turned his head and bit his lip before answering. If he laughed, Jessica would probably hurt him. “Sorry. I’ll be good and pay for the pizza. You have my word.”
    What the future Dr. Larson was thinking though was that he kept getting more material for his research from his own family than he could have solicited over a decade in any research center.

Chapter 6
     
    Carrie’s mother was sitting on the bed when Michael came walking into the bedroom. “She’s sick but won’t let me in the bathroom to help her. She said to get you.”
    “That’s fine. I know what to do. Ethan and Kevin are in the living room, Maggie. Why don’t you go and meet the rest of my family? They’re all here. You’re welcome to stay and eat with us. I’ve ordered pizza,” Michael said.
    He watched Maggie blink in disbelief, and then scurry out of the room without another word.
    Michael knocked on the bathroom door and called out to Carrie. The door opened immediately. Carrie was sitting on the toilet with the lid closed. Her face was in her hands. The sight of her brooding on the toilet made Michael laugh. It was so unlike her.
    “Get in here,” she said urgently when she saw it was him, but had to stand up to let Michael into the small space, which was even smaller with the two of them in it. “Why is my mother here?”
    “I have no idea,” Michael said honestly. “She may have come along to try and keep me from killing your father and brother.”
    “ Oh God—are they here too ?” she demanded, her voice rising until it was a disbelieving squeak. “Why is my crazy family in your house?”
    Michael went to perch on the side of the tub, but the ledge was too small for him to sit comfortably. He gave up and leaned against the wall by the towel bar and crossed his arms.
    “Well, your father came to say he was sorry about upsetting you earlier, and to give us his blessing. I accepted for both of us—hope that’s okay. Kevin and I have decided to call a truce, but I reserve the right to beat the crap out of your brother in the future. I think your mother just wanted to know you were okay,” Michael said, grinning as Carrie sank back down to sitting on the toilet again.
    “Right now everyone is in the living room. Oh—and my whole family is here as well, though I’m still not sure how it happened. But I guess it’s a good thing, all in all.”
    Carrie stared at him and blinked. It was surreal. It was impossible. No one in her family had ever come to check on her before when they knew she was upset. She blinked a few more times and shook her head trying to get her brain to absorb reality.
    “So what’s going on now?” she asked.
    “We’re waiting on pizza,” Michael said, laughing at her shock.
    It wasn’t long before Carrie was hiding her face in her hands again. The sight of her sitting forlorn on his toilet made Michael too amused to feel sorry for her.
    “This is insane behavior, even for them. How did we all go from fighting at my parent’s house to eating pizza as one big group in the space of a few hours this afternoon? All I did was take a nap,” Carrie said, whining.