A Daddy for Christmas by Linda Ford

Author:Linda Ford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Throughout the day Blue managed to let measuring and cutting fill his thoughts. Or at least he tried. But every time the girls came into sight, his heart twisted. They longed for family. Even though they’d known it and lost it, they still wanted to have it again, believing it would mean love and joy for the rest of their lives. He shook his head. Children had such faith in the impossible.

Clara, too, kept invading his thoughts. No matter how he tried, he could not forget what he’d said to her. How all the new families at the ranch had come together despite hard times in their past.

Somehow they’d found a way to move into the future.

He slid his gaze to where the girls had laid out their tea party and told him he was the father. Did they wish he could be their papa? He swallowed a large lump in his throat and forced his thoughts to go elsewhere.

The girls had made their tea set out of wood scraps. He knew they had no books. Now he realized they had no toys, either.

Nancy had had a doll she’d loved to rags.

Beau’s favorite toy had been a little wheelbarrow Blue had built for him. He smiled as he remembered Beau trying to persuade their pet cat it wanted a ride.

Clara watched him. “Something pleases you.”

He started to deny it, then decided against it. “I was thinking of my children playing.”

She squeezed his arm. “It’s nice to see you enjoying memories of them.”

Her touch made him lean a bit closer. Had he said what he did in the hopes she would reach out to him? Was he getting as bad as the girls, wanting something beyond the realm of possibility? Allowing himself to pretend?

He didn’t believe in make-believe and eased away. “I remember lots of good things about them.” He picked up a board and returned to work before she would ask him to share his memories. Maybe he would one of these days. If she stayed around long enough. He realized that sometime over the past few days he’d been able to think of his children and smile. And it felt good.

No doubt having two children playing underfoot had made it possible.

He’d like to do something for Eleanor and Libby. All afternoon, he thought of what he could do. He considered making them something out of wood. Perhaps a doll cradle, but they had no doll to put in it.

Then he recalled something and knew what he would do.

He waited until supper time. “You go ahead. Tell Bonnie I’ll be there shortly.” He watched until they stepped inside the Morton home; then he turned his feet up the street and went directly to Macpherson’s store. Bright red and silver balls, a little toy farm wagon, an embroidered ladies’ hankie and half a dozen fancy cards with a winter scene and Christmas trees formed part of the window display. All reminders of the season he had resolutely ignored for two years.

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