Read Mr. Wrong (A Homespun Romance) for Free Online Page A

couldn’t go quickly enough, till she caught her next glimpse of him. 
    “It’s spring,” her brain had tried to explain the oddness of her behavior with logic.  “Spring does odd things to people’s feelings.”
    “It’s Brady,” her heart had answered back unequivocally.
    There was something about the man that reached out to her as nothing ever had and Katie had to remind herself forcibly, time and again, that Brady wasn’t part of her plan.  It was ridiculous to react like this to a man she saw for barely fifteen minutes every day, even if he did have eyes like liquid silk.
    “Cody left at twelve,” Katie wondered why her tired blood was surging through her body like the waters of the mighty Niagara. Usually, at this hour on a Friday night, it  barely managed to flow to her extremities.
    “I know.  I was waiting for you.”
    `Just like I have been doing all week,’ Brady wanted to add.  `Waiting for some sign or a word from you that you know what this is between us.  But for some reason you’re afraid to acknowledge it and I’m not waiting any longer.’
    “For me?” Katie said stupidly looking over her shoulder as if she expected to see a clone of herself there, the real object of his attentions.
    Brady nodded, “Come and have dinner with me.”
    She had agreed and was sitting in Brady’s car, on the freeway before she realized what she was doing.  Too late, she remembered something, “My car.  It’s still outside the school.”
    “We’ll pick it up later.  Don’t worry.”
    Katie sighed to herself as she leaned back against the dark blue leather seat. 
    How could she agree like a nincompoop to go along with everything he said, as if he were a hypnotist?  One who only had to open his mouth to reduce her to a state of willing subjection? 
    He had invaded her mind like those science fiction shows on television, and if she wasn’t careful he would take it over.  There was no room in her life for this man.  Why had she agreed to have dinner with him?  She wasn’t even dressed for it.  She didn’t even know where they were heading.  His navy blue Volvo was on the 60 Freeway heading west.  All that told her was that he hadn’t wanted to stop in the village for pizza or Mexican food, the only two restaurants there were in Jacaranda Meadows.  A nervous hand raked through her hair and then tried to dab at the stain of navy blue paint a young enthusiast had got on her pale green pants.
    “You look just fine,” he said and Katie scowled like one of the three year olds in her class.  What did the man do in his free time.  Psychic readings?
    He took the second exit off the freeway and minutes later they were pulling up in front of a fast food joint.  Katie heaved a sigh of relief unaware it came out loud. 
    "I take it you like this place?”  The teasing query brought a flush to her cheeks.
    `Yes,” she said simply as she got out. 
    The older couple who ran it had a very simple menu but the food had a homemade taste that had lines outside at mealtimes.
    Wooden picnic benches, red and white striped umbrellas; the atmosphere suggested casual, comfy and unpretentious.
    Katy felt herself relax.
    She didn’t want Brady spending his money on her, taking her to some fancy place.  Things like that didn’t impress her in the least.  Nor was she the kind to lead a man a merry dance.  He couldn’t be making more than she did and to judge from his taste in clothes and cars, his budget must be shot.  Unlike Harold’s.  She enjoyed going to nice places with Harold because he could afford it.  Besides, Harold wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else. 
    She couldn’t picture Harold here.  In fact, for a few seconds, Katie found she couldn’t picture Harold at all. 
    That scared her and she was very quiet while they ordered their meal and carried it to a table by the window.
    “Dollar for them?” 
    At the questioning lift of her brows Brady chuckled.
    “Inflation,” he