Bosom Buddies Read Free

and he was obviously taken. Two huge strikes against him.
    But now, watching him sleep, watching him wake, well, it was just too intimate and he didn’t look suitish at all. He wasn’t what she’d expected. She might overlook the yuppie thing, but she couldn’t ignore the taken part. She’d found playing the other woman was a role she was definitely not suited for.
    “Do you mind if I call the hospital?” he called from the living room.
    “Help yourself.” If she were a better person, she would have turned on some music to give him some privacy. Instead she silently cut huge slices of rye bread to go with the vegetable soup.
    “ICU.” There was a pause while his call was routed. “This is Ian Ryan. I was wondering if you could give me an update on Anne Paulson. Yes. When? Yeah, I’ll be there. Can you tell her? Thanks.”
    Allie chose that moment to come in with the soup, hoping he wouldn’t know she’d eavesdropped. She gave her pile of paperwork a push and made some room for their dinner.
    “Here’s the soup. Oh, I brought the bread but forgot the crackers,” she stuttered.
    “It’s okay. Don’t go to any trouble.” He looked chagrined. “Well, don’t go to any more trouble than we’ve already put you through.”
    “Ah, yes, it was so much trouble to rock that baby and listen to you snore.” She laughed. As Ian had drifted deeper into sleep, his snoring had risen in volume and tempo. It had been an impressive sound.
    He scowled. “I don’t snore.”
    “Well, if that’s what Anne’s told you, she fibs, because you could rank as a champion snorer.” Allie wasn’t sure why she was baiting him, but she did know she was enjoying watching him sputter and bluster.
    “I don’t snore,” he finally muttered as he took a spoonful of soup.
    “Well, it wasn’t Ryane.” He glared at her as he shoveled in another bite, and Allie just chuckled and then helped herself to a bite. It was quite good, she congratulated herself. This was a new variation. She bit into one of the chickpeas. Yes, they added just enough oomph to the broth. She’d make sure she included them in her next batch.
    “Good soup,” Ian said between bites.
    “I was just thinking that myself,” she admitted.
    “Modest, eh?” Ian asked in between bites.
    “Honest. When you know me better, you’ll learn I’m very, very honest.” She took another bite, then said, “But do ask Anne when you talk to her, she’ll tell you how bad your snoring is.”
    He laughed too for a second, and then said, “Speaking of Anne.”
    “That’s who you called, right? How is she?”
    “They’re moving her out of ICU tonight.”
    Allie smiled. “That’s great. Why don’t you go over and help her get settled in? I can keep Ryane.”
    Ian looked uncomfortable. “That’s not necessary. I’ve already imposed enough today.”
    “Hey, it’s no imposition. I love babies. That’s why I do what I do. And if I was a dangerous character, you probably would have noticed the bodies in the trash by now.” She thought she saw another hint of a smile and liked what it did to his face.
    She slammed that train of thought off. He was a yuppie with a capital Y , and more importantly, he was taken. She didn’t know why Anne and Ryane didn’t live with him, or he with them, but there was obviously a connection. And, no matter what anyone thought, Allie didn’t make it a habit of breaking up relationships.
    Allie could see he was still hesitant. She smiled the smile she used to reassure the most nervous new parents. “Listen, if you go now, when you come back I’ll give you an official how-to-finger-feed-a-baby lesson.”
    “You’re sure?”
    She could see him wavering.
    “I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t mean it. Remember, honesty? If you and Ryane become a pain in my butt, I’ll let you know. Until then, you can safely assume if I offer you a hand,” she paused a second and added, “or a finger, I mean it.”
    She reached across the