All I Ever Wanted Read Free

later, Naomi was in the kitchen starting breakfast. After her bath, Kayla had wanted to pick out clothes for herself and Teddy. After her last birthday that wasn’t a problem.
    Of course Kayla had invited Richard and Catherine. He’d given Kayla the rocking chair in her bedroom so Naomi could read to her at night. From Catherine there were several outfits for Kayla with matching tops for Teddy, and a complete set of her published books for children. Luke had given Kayla the practical gift of a savings bond.
    There were also gifts from other members of the Grayson family that Kayla had met through Catherine. There was no way Naomi could have refused any of the gifts. They loved Kayla. She’d be forever thankful that her car had chosen Santa Fe to break down in.
    A knock on the back door startled her. Despite her earlier chastisement, fear had her gripping the spoon in her hand as she whirled from the counter, only to relax seconds later. Placing the spoon back in the pancake mix, she went to the door. Gordon’s knock wouldn’t be that light, and after the last time, he’d probably bang or burst in. Still, she looked through the peephole Richard had installed for her.
    Seeing Fallon Marshall, Naomi smiled. Naomi had few female friends. They’d want to talk about their family, ask you about yours. She hated it when she had to lie, and she was tired of evading. Just saying she was divorced didn’t always satisfy some women’s curiosity. Fallon, a travel writer, had moved in the apartment next door a month ago. Like Catherine, Fallon didn’t push or ask questions.
    Fallon had knocked on Naomi’s door the day she moved in to introduce herself. Naomi, usually cautious even with women, had liked the warm and friendly Fallon immediately. They’d begun their friendship over coffee and the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies Fallon had brought with her.
    Opening the door, Naomi smiled and stepped aside. “Good morning, Fallon.”
    “Good morning,” Fallon cheerfully greeted as she stepped inside. She wore a shirt with SANTA FE in colorful letters on the front, slim black jeans, and flip-flops. “I was hoping you were up and still here.” She ruefully lifted her mug, decorated with a string of peppers, in one hand and a plastic cup in the other. Inside was a spoon. “Coffee, please.”
    “Help yourself.” Naomi waved Fallon to the coffee carafe. One cup was all she needed. Like Fallon, she wanted cream and sugar in her coffee. Although she’d tried to dissuade Fallon from bringing her own, she continued to do so.
    “Thanks. I was on a deadline and forgot to go to the store yesterday.” Pouring the coffee, then adding the cream and sugar mixture from the plastic cup, Fallon took a sip, closed her eyes, and savored. “Good coffee. I finished the piece this morning and sent it off, thank goodness.”
    Knowing Fallon would need a couple of sips to be fully alert, Naomi continued stirring the pancake mix. The quietness in the kitchen didn’t make Naomi nervous. Another thing she liked about Fallon—as with Richard and Catherine, she didn’t need to fill the silence with conversation.
    Fallon was easy to talk to and fun to be around. She and Kayla had hit it off immediately. Fallon had probably never met a stranger. It wasn’t just the incredible, long-legged beauty and body to go with it that attracted people; she genuinely cared about people, and it showed. She probably knew everybody in their unit, whereas Naomi only knew the elderly couple on the other side of her.
    “Can you stay for breakfast?” Naomi asked, already reaching for the refrigerator door.
    “You don’t have to ask twice. Thanks.” Fallon topped off her coffee cup, added more cream-and-sugar mixture.
    “We like having you.” Removing the packages of pan turkey sausages and bacon from the refrigerator, Naomi added some to the skillet, then reached for the box of pancake mix.
    “I’ll say it again, you’re my lifesaver.” Fallon picked up