Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(75)

"Get off my porch!" Ellie growled. " Now. Before I go for something else. And believe me, it'll be more painful."

She moved toward him and pulled back her foot like she was ready to punt a football. But thankfully, he scurried back away from her, tripping over himself in his haste.

"Crazy bitch," he repeated as he stumbled backward and waddled hunchback toward his truck.

"Don't ever ask me out again," Ellie called, wiping her palms together.

She stood like a mighty Amazon warrior on her porch, with her hands fisted until Ted crawled into his automobile and burned rubber, peeling out in his haste to leave. She watched him turn the corner at the end of the block.

"Wow," she finally said, letting out a pent-up breath. What a rush.

Ellie always thought she'd be scared and shaky after getting attacked by a man. But she wasn't scared now. She'd fought him off and chased him away, all by herself and without anyone else's assistance.

"God, that felt good."

"Well, it ought to," answered a voice from the dark. "You racked him good, honey."

278

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Ellie yelped and swung to the right, spying the glowing tip of a cigarette butt coming from the middle of her yard.

"Nora?" she said, squinting through the dark.

She'd known her friend was a closet smoker, but she'd never actually seen Nora puff on anything.

She moved down the steps of her porch. "Did you just see all of that?"

"I did," Nora answered. "And I was headed over here to give you some help until you went and took matters into your own hands...or should I say, into your own knee."

Ellie grinned. "Well, thanks for thinking of me. I would've appreciated your help."

Nora shrugged and blew out a gust of smoke. "It would've have been my pleasure. I'm not a big fan of men these days.

If they're not trying to maul you on the goodnight kiss, they're screwing their new secretary in the tie you gave them for Christmas."

Ellie grew quiet, realizing Nora was not only smoking, but she was drunk and stewing too.

Nora sucked on her cigarette before saying, "I spent a long time picking out that tie, you know. It had to be just the right color to match his eyes and still go with all his suits." She blew out a stream of smoke and added, "Bastard."

Ellie quietly asked, "Is Dr. Young working late again?"

Nora always called it something other than what it was.

She'd say her husband was at a conference for the weekend or working late. Then she'd give Ellie a look that said she meant otherwise.

279

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

But tonight, she didn't beat around the bush; she snorted.

"Working late my ass. He's out boffing...someone. I'm not even up on who he's currently screwing these days."

"Oh, Nora," Ellie said and hugged her friend.

Nora pulled her close. "Want to come over to my house and get drunk with me? We can complain about men all night."

"Sure," Ellie said, unable to ignore a friend in need.

She followed Nora to the Young's back door, then waited outside on the redwood porch as Nora disappeared inside for a few minutes. She was briskly rubbing her hands up and down her arms to ward off the chill in the air when Nora reappeared with a half-empty bottle of wine and two jackets.

She tossed one of the coats at Ellie.

As Ellie gratefully pushed her hands into the arm holes, Nora whispered, "Keller's a light sleeper, so we have to stay out here."

After they moved toward the umbrella-covered round table, Nora took a drink straight from the bottle and then wordlessly passed it to Ellie.

Ellie chugged. The potent liquid did as much toward warming her as the double-lined jacket did. "How is Keller?"

she asked, passing the wine back to Nora.

Nora's shoulders slumped as she sighed. "Oh, he moped around the house all evening, looking out the window toward your place every five seconds as if he thought Cassie was going to come home any moment."

Ellie swallowed guiltily and looked down at her hands.

280

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

"He's so dependent on that girl of yours. I swear if she didn't live next door to him, I'd leave that worthless father of his and take him away from here."

"Want us to move?" Ellie offered, only half kidding.

Maybe it would be better to wean the poor boy away from her daughter now. With Boston in her life, she was going to need Keller less and less, and it was going to break the poor boy's heart in slow, painful portions to watch Cassie slip away from him.

Nora snorted and slapped a hand her way. Then she sighed and flopped back in her seat to smoke some more.

"Honestly, I sometimes really think it'd be better for him if we just up and left Mendel," she murmured thoughtfully. "At least that way Keller wouldn't have to be reminded day after day how much his father ignores him. He could get on with his own life."

"I guess I should be grateful Cassie doesn't have that problem with Boston," Cassie murmured to herself. "When she's with him, he actually spends time with her. I'll give him that much. He's a very attentive father."