Fisher (Prince of Tigers, #3) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,30

and Fisher getting married. Also, the money Fisher had given him to settle the business accounts.

“That wasn’t anything I expected. You’re not going to bail her out, are you, Dad? I mean, she’s my mom, sure. But if you left her there for a while, it wouldn’t bother me a bit.” Paddy told him he was going to file for divorce. “It’s about time. I wish you’d done it years ago. Mom makes you sad and tense. I’ve been coming home for the last few months worried I was going to find you in this room dead from a stress related heart attack.”

“I feel like I’ve been running a marathon and never could get past the first hill. But this thing with Charlie. If Fisher hadn’t stepped in, we would have been screwed.” Peter told him he was sorry. “Don’t be, son. It’s not your fault. But I can’t do this with your mother anymore. I’ve tried over and over to get her help. She’ll be all right for a couple of weeks, then it’s like her mind explodes or something, and she needs to go and nearly lose the house over her habit. Or sickness. I’m not sure what to call it. But whatever it is, I just can’t afford to take it on any longer.”

“I don’t blame you at all, Dad. You’re right. Mom is out of control.” He looked so sad that Paddy wanted to get up and hug him. Then he wondered if men hugged their sons anymore. “She’s messed up my college. I was looking forward to being able to go there and not have to work.”

“Peter, having the scholarship was a wonderful thing, but I can still afford to pay for you going to any college you want. I’d never take that dream away from you.” He said his mom shouldn’t have been able to either. “You’re right about that. I’m going to see an attorney in the morning about your credit score too. We’ll get through this. I promise.”

“Dad, do you think Piper really is getting married? I hope so. I hope she has a brood of kids too. She’s about the sweetest aunt a person could have. I can’t wait to meet her husband to be.” He told him how he’d like his brother. “Yes, well, I’m going to the wedding. No matter what kind it is. She’s been there for me when I needed a woman to talk to. Piper did a lot for this family, and I, for one, am not going to have her heart broken by my mom ever again.”

“I agree.” Once Paddy said he’d be ready in twenty minutes to go out to dinner, Peter went up to his room to change. Paddy made three phone calls and deposited the check into the business account. Modern technology made it easy for him to just snap a photo and have it in the bank. Then he called his partner to let him know the money was in the account.

Tomorrow was going to be a good day. Paddy wasn’t sure how that was going to happen, but he was determined to make it work for him. He realized while waiting for the secretary to get him an appointment that he didn’t feel the least bit upset about getting a divorce. In fact, he was happy for it. Thrilled, no less.

~*~

Buck was keeping an eye on dinner for his Sara and also keeping an eye on the front door so that when his son came in, he’d be the first to meet his new daughter. To him, they were daughters and not in-laws. He had a feeling that Fisher and Piper might be the best thing since his wife’s homemade grape jelly.

“Buck, what are you doing?” He smiled at his wife, and she tisked at him. “You’re supposed to be watching dinner for me, not snooping around to see when Fisher gets back. My goodness, you act as if you’ve never had a daughter-in-law before. Help me shuck this corn.”

He did so but didn’t stop looking at the front door. Sara was telling him about the corn, how it was the last of the season, though he knew if they wanted corn year-round, the little faeries would make it happen.

The front door made a sound, and he jumped up, dumping silky corn hair all over the floor.

“Don’t you dare leave this mess on the floor, Buck Prince. She might be out there, and I’ll not have her thinking I’m a