Kids Is A 4-Letter Word Read Online Free Page B

Cleo, had sat him down and explained the harsh reality.
    “John,” she’d said, smiling sadly, “you’re not going to find an exciting career woman who’s willing to give up everything she’s worked for to take care of someone else’s kids. And you’re not going to find many single women in Atlanta who aren’t career-oriented.”
    Thus the move to a smaller town where he thought his chances of finding a homey wife might be better. Not that he had anything against working women. Some of the most interesting women he’d met were just as driven to succeed as their male counterparts. But he felt his children deserved a full-time mom to make up for lost time.
    John nodded his head firmly in silent determination. He’d date every eligible woman in Savannah until he found another woman like Annie, someone for whom mothering was…first nature.
    “H URRY UP !” Jo screeched, practically dragging the children through the door of her small office building. As she trotted down the hall, Billy perched on her hip and her briefcase bouncing against her other leg, she could hear Hattie saying, “I’m sure Jo will be here any minute. She had to…er…”
    Her beloved aunt turned from the man and woman standing before her and stared at Jo coming down the wide hallway, the older woman’s glassy eyes bulging in shock. The consummate professional, Hattie recovered quickly. “She had to…pick up the children, of course.” She beamed at Jo. “Darling, I was getting worried about…all of you.”
    “Forgive me for running late,” Jo said, setting down her briefcase and extending her hand to the coifed, well-preserved woman standing beside Hattie. “I’m Jo Montgomery, and you must be Melissa Patterson.”
    “And my husband, Monroe,” the woman said, inclining herblond head slightly. “Oh, aren’t they precious?” Mrs. Patterson reached over to tweak Billy’s rosy cheek.
    The toddler gave her a toothy grin, and said, “Me Billy.”
    “And who else do we have?” Mr. Patterson smiled warmly at the other two children.
    Jo swallowed nervously. How would she explain this situation? “This is Claire and Ja—Peter. Claire and Peter.”
    The tall, thin man with heavy black glasses leaned over to shake hands with the older children, then straightened. He smiled at Jo, his eyes dancing. “Ms. Montgomery, I must admit, in our eyes you already have an edge over your competition for our day-care account.”
    “Well,” Hattie injected brightly, her eyes warning Jo to keep quiet, “why don’t I take the children and let the three of you talk business?”
    “Who are you?” Jamie asked, frowning at one of Hattie’s trademark feathered hats.
    Jo laughed nervously and scrambled to cover Jamie’s gaffe. “Today Aunt Hattie is…Mary Poppins, right, Hattie?”
    Hattie nodded, reaching for Jamie’s hand. “Yes, indeed. Let’s go fetch my umbrella, shall we? And I’ve got three lollipops in my office that need licking.”
    “Any green ones?” Jamie asked hopefully, already won over.
    Hattie smiled brightly. “Let’s go see.”
    Claire glanced at Jo with questioning eyes, but Jo nodded encouragingly and handed Billy to his sister. A remarkable feeling of relief swept over her as she saw the children walk away with Hattie. Free at last. Had she been gone only two hours? It seemed like two lifetimes. She turned to the Pattersons and awkwardly swept her arm in the direction of the meeting room. Her muscles had grown weak lugging Billy around. “Shall we?”
    “Ms. Montgomery,” Melissa Patterson said as they walked, “you failed to mention you had three children when we spoke on the phone. I’ve very glad we decided to consider your design firm for a bid on our account.”
    Jo’s smile froze and she nearly stumbled, but caught herself and kept moving forward, flanked by the Pattersons.
    “Oh, yes,” Mr. Patterson continued. “It’s crucial that the interior designer we hire for our day-care chain is in tune with