Hot SEAL, April's Fool by Becca Jameson (smart books to read .txt) 📗

wanted to let you know.” Cole took a step back, obviously eager to flee his childhood home.

“You can’t do that.” Amanda’s voice rose. “It ain’t right.”

“It’s done, Amanda. Have a nice life.” Cole turned around, switched the hand he was holding, and gave April’s fingers a squeeze.

Amanda stood on the porch and continued to bitch and moan, but Cole ignored her and didn’t release a full breath until they were back in the car.

“Is it weird not going inside?” April asked. She couldn’t imagine never returning to her childhood home, the one her parents still lived in and maintained as if April still lived there.

“Nope. Haven’t been inside since the day I left. Glad we didn’t have to. There’s nothing but bad memories in there. I’m done.”

April lifted his hand to her cheek and rubbed his knuckles against her face. She watched him closely as he shook off the encounter with his stepmother.

Eventually, he turned to her and smiled. “That’s the last of my loose ends. Where shall we go next?”

Chapter 19

She drew in a breath. “My parents. They deserve to know what’s going on between you and me.”

A huge weight had lifted off Cole’s shoulders after securing closure with Amanda. As long as he didn’t encounter any issues with the money technically owed to the mayor, he would never need to speak to Amanda again.

He would love nothing more than to speak to April’s parents, grovel a bit about his idiocy in the past and do his part to convince them he would not let April down again. “Let’s do it.” He started the engine and pulled away from his childhood home to head the few blocks to April’s.

It wasn’t until he pulled up to the house that he realized what time it was. “Your parents might be sitting down to dinner.”

April shrugged. “No big deal. If they are, we’ll talk to them while they eat. They won’t mind.”

Cole couldn’t keep from grinning when she took his hand as they entered the house without knocking. He’d been touching her all day, but he wasn’t presumptuous enough to instigate the contact on her turf. Luckily, she took the lead, gripping his palm as they made their way into the kitchen.

Her dad was standing next to the fridge, leaning one hip against the counter, a beer in one hand. He’d obviously just gotten home from work because he was still in slacks and a button-down shirt, his tie loose at his neck, the top button on his shirt undone.

Bill McKay looked up at their entrance and smiled wide. “Look who’s here, JoAnn.”

April’s mom spun around where she’d been facing the stove and clapped her hands together, her smile spreading. “Oh goodness.” Her gaze slid down to their combined hands and back up, her smile growing wider before she rushed over and gave April a hug. “What a nice surprise. I hope you haven’t eaten dinner. I made spaghetti.”

Cole cleared his throat. “We don’t want to impose on your dinner. You weren’t planning on having us.”

“Don’t be silly,” JoAnn said, waving a hand through the air.

Bill chuckled as he reached out a hand to shake Cole’s. “The woman doesn’t know how to cook for two. We always have enough spaghetti for a week. You’ll be doing me a favor cutting down on the leftovers if you’ll join us. Can I get you a beer?”

“Thank you, sir.”

Bill rolled his eyes. “Please. It’s Bill.”

Cole let himself relax. He may have been a less than stellar boyfriend in the past, but no one in this house was holding a grudge. He accepted the beer and took a swig. He’d always loved April’s parents. They were good people. Her home had been a haven for him in high school. A place where he knew he would get a home-cooked meal and normal conversation. A place where no one screamed at him or told him he was worthless. He felt a twinge of guilt that his plan was to lure their only daughter clear across the country.

“How’d it go at the police station this morning?” JoAnn asked. “I’ll admit, I was worried about you two, so I called Rodney. He caught us up on the basics.”

Cole nodded. “Good. Luckily, it would seem the mayor’s untimely death is going to let my family off the hook for all the money he basically swindled from my father.”

Bill furrowed his brow. “Thank goodness. What a disaster. I can’t believe the mayor and the police chief were involved in something so underhanded.”

JoAnn winced. “Honestly, Richard Chamberlain always rubbed me wrong. I’m not that surprised.” She clapped her hands together. “Dinner’s ready.”

In no time at all, the table was set and the four of them sat down to enjoy the first home-cooked meal Cole could remember eating in a long time.

April’s mom was an amazing cook. She always hit all the food groups, adding a salad and French bread to the table before they sat down. She’d even made an apple pie for dessert as if she’d known they would be there and had planned a dinner party.

When they were done, April surprised Cole by asking her mother if she could speak to her in private.

Bill waved them off. “You ladies go talk. We’ll clean the kitchen.”

JoAnn kissed her husband on the cheek and left the room with her daughter. After the antics the day before, when April came home in tears and spent the night crying before Cole showed up unannounced to make amends, it was no wonder April would feel like she needed some time to explain things to her mom.

Cole didn’t mind a bit, nor did it bother him to be left with Bill. The two of them loaded the dishwasher, put the larger pots and pans away, and headed to the living room with another beer.

Cole glanced down the hallway, but there was no sign of April or her mother, so he perched on the edge of an armchair and faced Bill. “I’m in love with your