The Trouble with Tomboys (Tommy Creek #1)(38)

B.J. pushed her bra back into place, biting her lip when rough cloth abraded her pouting nipples.

Then she went and retrieved her shirt. She noticed he wouldn’t look at her until she slipped the top on and was smoothing it down over her hips.

“I won’t marry you,” she said.

His gaze was unreadable. He studied her a

moment and then nodded. “I think we should at least tell our families together.”

B.J. arched an eyebrow. “Tell them what? That we’re not getting married?”

“That you’re pregnant,” he corrected, sending her a scowl for her lame attempt at sarcasm.

“Unless...you’ve already told yours. But from the way you talked, I assumed you hadn’t told anyone yet.” She shook her head. “No. I haven’t.”

“Okay.” He nodded. “Then we should do that

together.”

“All right,” she muttered reluctantly. But that was definitely going to be one chore she wanted to 115



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put off.

When she glanced at him, though, and saw the expectant look in his eyes, she winced. “What? Right now?”

He scowled. “When exactly did you plan on

telling them? After the baby’s born?”

She shrugged a little guiltily. “I don’t know. But putting it off for as long as possible did sound like a good plan.”

Grady sighed. “We can’t put it off now we know the word’s spreading. Our families need to learn from us...especially your side.”

“My side!? Why especially my side?”

“Probably because my folks wouldn’t think twice if they heard you were pregnant. They wouldn’t know it’s mine. But it’s pretty obvious the baby is yours...so, it’s more urgent to tell your side.”

She sighed out a sound of disgust. “God... Fine, let’s get this over with then.”

****

Since Grady won the argument over telling their families together and right away, he let her drive when she insisted.

Leroy and Jeb were still at the hangar, working when she and Grady arrived. Buck was gone, no doubt home with his bitchy wife and bratty daughter.

And Rudy was absent as well, more than likely at some bar, getting drunk off his ass.

Stopping in the doorway, B.J. could feel Grady stumble to a halt beside her. From the corner of her eye, she saw him glance at her curiously, probably worried she was going to chicken out.

But that wasn’t what she did.

He wanted her to make the announcement. So,

she’d announce.

Cupping her hands around her mouth, she

hollered into the huge tin building. “Hey!” she yelled, 116



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her voice echoing back to her.

Pop turned, and Leroy set down the blowtorch he was getting ready to use.

“If anyone cares to know. We’re having a baby.”

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Chapter Ten


With that said, B.J. turned to stalk off. Grady remained in the wide entrance, staring after her. A clanging of metal sounded from Leroy’s direction, probably him dropping the blowtorch.

B.J. finally glanced back and, yep, her brother was scurrying to pick up his fallen equipment.

“You coming?” she asked Grady.

But the voice of her father shouted out, “Get your tail back here.”

B.J. muttered a curse, closed her eyes, and

turned in Pop’s direction. Grady fell into step beside her. It shocked her just how comforted she was by his automatic show of support. Grady Rawlings might be a quiet, reserved person, giving off the impression he was shy. But he had backbone. He didn’t back down from certain duties, even ones that made her want to run for the hills.

“You’re pulling our leg, ain’t ya?” Leroy said, laughing as he glanced from her to Grady. “I mean, you two…” He shook his head and slapped at his knee. “Brat, you couldn’t get a Rawlings to notice you if you stripped naked and—”

“Enough,” Jeb growled and jabbed at his son to shut him up. Then he propped his hands on his hips and glared disapprovingly between B.J. and Grady.

“So...when’s the wedding?”

Grady looked expectantly at her. “That’s what I’d like to know.”

B.J. threw her hands in the air. “We’re not getting married.”

“You...you mean it’s true?” Leroy sputtered.

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Spinning to aim an incredulous look at B.J., he said,

“How in the sam hell did you get Grady Rawlings to—” “Will you shut the hell up,” she snapped, mainly because Grady was taking a threatening step toward him, which her idiotic brother didn’t even notice.

“I want to know why there’s not going to be a wedding,” Jeb growled.

“Pop, that’s really none of your concern.”

“No, I want to hear this reason too,” Grady said, crossing his arms over his chest and cocking her an arch look.

B.J. growled. Damn. She knew she probably

hadn’t heard the last of his marriage-talk nonsense, but she never would’ve guessed he’d so sneakily enlist the help of her own father.