Read Standing By: A Knight's Tale #2 for Free Online Page B

me today for a few hours so we could have some bonding time. “I can teach you how to milk cows.”
    “Oh joy, I can also sing for you ‘Old MacParker had a farm’,” I eye him before I continue. “E-I-E-I-O,” then I begin chopping while humming the tune of “Old MacDonald.”
    “I talked to Ben yesterday,” he starts with a name I don’t want to hear at the moment. Love the brother, didn’t like him yesterday. “He fears you might not have a fall backing and that’s why he’s trying to push you to take the next step; either a solid career or expanding your business.”
    “You heard Dad, right?” He sighs and turns the mixer on.
    I continue chopping the strawberries and decide to ignore everyone, and if I have to, I’ll deal with Mitchel Knight and prove my family wrong. I can keep this bakery open, maybe tear the wall down and build a café. Margarita cupcakes in his restaurant might not sound as bad as I thought when Parker threw that bucket of ice yesterday afternoon by saying, “ I sold the restaurant to Mitch Knight. ” It’ll bring in some extra income while I expand and make the necessary changes to the business plan so I can survive on my own.
    “If all else fails,” I tell Parker, trying to look serious. “I can always leave the dream and move to Seattle. I’ll sing with your cows, pigs, horses and the chicks too.”
    He presses his lips tightly, but those playful eyes tell me he’s only doing it because he’s trying not to laugh.
    “So, why is Ben being so insistent about my future, anyway?” I ask, wondering why he wanted to circle around that conversation yesterday. Not that we talk much about it—thank the Lord.
    “One reason, I know for sure, he doesn’t want you to end up like Caroline, depending on a man to survive. According to Ben, if you follow her example, you’ll end up doing nothing with your life.”
    “I’m nothing like my mother; she slept with a sugar daddy and to me that’s just foul.” Loved the father but I can’t see myself dating a fifty year old man. Then it occurs to me that Ben’s never been friendly with my mother. The few times they’ve been in the same room, he is always extremely rude to her. “You know what? It puzzles me that Ben hates Mom so much. When Dad slept with Mom, he was married to Bridget—your Mom. His mother was out of the picture by then.”
    “Do you know how your mother met our father?” I shake my head and set out for more fruit. As I come back, he continues the conversation. “Caroline tried to date Ben first; his college sweetheart broke up with him because of her. I don’t know the details, but things got ugly. The point is that your mother turned out to be knocked up, not that I mind the results. I like you better than my other three siblings, mostly because you’re compact size.”
    “Too early for that kind of information and your height jokes, Parks.”
    I really need to find me a new family with less baggage. My mind suddenly rewinds to the part about Ben and Mom with the words: “ and things got ugly ” and “ knocked up ”. He never said anything about her dating Dad. My overactive imagination took a wrong turn and as it was about to crash against a big bulky reality; I ask to confirm that I’m being an idiot. Please let me be an idiot, I don’t want Ben to be my dad.
    “Ben isn’t my father, is he?”
    My back muscles tighten as I wait for an answer.
    “I’ll open the door,” Parker makes me realize someone is at the back door and he leaves me hanging.

Chapter 6
    Mitch
    “T his isn’t between the hours of noon and two,” Parker opens the door of the bakery, his eyes looking weary and his clothes are dusted with flour. I glance at my watch and shrug. “She thinks you gave her the time frame just to fuck with her, Knight.”
    “Of course not.” The entire phone call was to play with her head. “I decided to come early because I have a few things to do this afternoon and I also wanted to taste her