Read All Because of You (Lakeview #2) for Free Online

couldn’t imagine herself living anywhere else. 
    Of course the beauty of the kennels business meant that Liz could be a working mum with the all the benefits of a stay-at-home one too. It had taken a while to get into a routine, and was getting trickier as Toby got older and was starting to walk a little, but so far it was working out OK. But it would be even better if Eric could find work in the village here, instead of having to commute to and from Dublin, but she was sure that would happen in time.
    Not long after she’d said goodbye to Jill Walsh and settled Bruno into his lodgings, Liz had another visitor – the caller’s approaching car again setting off a chorus of yaps and barks from the dogs, while the cats just yawned, pretending to be bored but Liz knew, interested all the same.  
    Unfortunately, all this recent activity had in the meantime woken Toby, and by the time Tara appeared on her doorstep, it was a weary but excited Liz who came to greet her at the front door.
    “Oh, I’m sorry!” said Tara, taking in Toby’s red-rimmed eyes and mussed-up hair. “Was he asleep?”
    “For about all of ten minutes,” Liz replied, rolling her eyes. “But don’t worry about it – he doesn’t stay down for long these days, and I’ve just taken another dog in so …” She shrugged, then beckoned Tara inside the small cottage. “Great to see you! And I love the new car – when did you get that? Come in for a cuppa first, and afterwards we’ll go out for a good look.” Going through to the kitchen, she set Toby down on the floor amongst his toys, hoping that watching SpongeBob SquarePants on TV would keep him occupied for a little while, and hopefully tire him out once and for all.
    “Mmm, I’m still not too sure about the car yet,” Tara said, taking a seat at Liz’s kitchen table. “It’s more Glenn’s choice than mine.”
    “Typical.” Liz laughed. “And where is lovely Glenn? Did he come with you? Oh no, you said he’s working overtime this week, didn’t you?”
    Tara nodded.
    “Well, I know Eric’s eyes will pop out of his head when he sees  that car. He’s in bed sleeping off the night-shift by the way,” she informed Tara. 
    “Pity – it seems like ages since I’ve seen you both,” Tara replied, automatically lowering her voice so as not to be responsible for waking yet another McGrath male. The two girls had been friends for a long time, having worked side by side in the same Dublin telesales company for many years, and Liz was really looking forward to a good chat with Tara. In fact, it had been Tara who’d first introduced Liz to her old friend and fellow Lakeview native, Eric McGrath. 
    But since Liz and Eric had moved away from city, the two girls didn’t see one another as often as they’d like, usually only when Tara came home to visit her parents.  
    “So, how come you couldn’t come over last night?” Liz queried, throwing an eye towards Toby. “Are your Mum and Dad OK?”
    Tara had been due to call over after visiting her parents the previous day, but had phoned later in the evening to tell her she’d be staying the night at their house, instead of having a night in at Liz’s as they’d planned. She would explain later, she said.
    “They’re fine but …” Tara hesitated. “I probably shouldn’t be telling you this yet,” she bit her lip, “but no doubt you’ll find out soon enough anyway. Especially in this town.” 
    “Telling me what?” Liz put two mugs of coffee on the table and took a seat beside Tara.
    “Emma’s pregnant.”
    Liz didn’t think she could be more surprised even if someone had told her they didn’t like dogs. “ What? ”
    “I know,” Tara nodded, and picked up a Jaffa Cake.
    “But … but who? What?”
    “That’s exactly what I said.”
    “But she’s not seeing anyone, is she?”
    “She’s not seeing anyone – and she’s not saying who the father is either.”
    “What? Why not?” Liz had no time for