A Father's Second Chance (Contemporay Christian Romance) by Mindy Obenhaus

Author:Mindy Obenhaus [Obenhaus, Mindy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Family Life, Second-Chance, Business Woman, Single Father, Contractor, Inspirational, Christian Romance, Worship, The Lord
Goodreads: 24885450
Publisher: Love Inspired
Published: 2015-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Celeste waved good-night to Gage and the girls and closed the front door. Leaning against it, she took a deep breath. To say she was blindsided by her mother’s visit would be the understatement of the century. Her mother was a master planner. Even the smallest details were plugged into her day planner, with no room for deviation. So Celeste wasn’t buying that her mother “simply wanted to see her.” Hillary didn’t do anything without a reason.

Upstairs in the kitchen, she found her mother at the coffeepot, pouring her third cup in less than two hours. While Celeste was a one-cup-in-the-morning kind of girl, her mother would, no doubt, have the poor little four-cup drip machine running from sunup to sundown. It was a good part of the reason her mother was able to maintain her trim figure, because the plain black brew also substituted for many a meal.

“Everyone get off all right?”

“Yes.” Celeste snagged the empty mashed potato bowl from the dining table as she passed and continued on to the sink.

“Cute kids.” Mom leaned her backside against the counter.

“Aren’t they?” Celeste turned on the water. “I love spending time with them.”

“I have to say—” her mother cocked her head “—when I decided to visit my daughter, I never expected I’d find such a cozy little scene.”

Was that a hint of sarcasm in her mother’s voice or simply annoyance? Either way, she needed to douse her mother’s suspicions.

Celeste rinsed another plate and set it in the dishwasher. “I adore Cassidy and Emma. And their father likes them to have female role models.” She looked at her mother now. “But Gage and I are friends. Nothing more.” Regardless of the feelings he seemed to stir inside her every time they were together.

“Well, that’s good.” Mom strolled around the peninsula, set her cup on the eat-at counter and pulled herself into one of the counter-height chairs. “Because since you’ve decided to give up everything you’ve ever worked for and pour your heart and soul into that restaurant, there’s no room in your life for a man.”

This time her mother’s sarcasm was impossible to miss.

“How long has the restaurant been closed?” Mom peered over the rim of her mug as she took a sip.

“Since Monday.” Celeste tucked the last plate into the dishwasher, then rinsed the silverware. “I was pleased with how quickly they were able to get the job done. Lord willing, by the end of tomorrow, we’ll have the all-clear and I can focus on reopening.”

“It’s never good when a business has to close its doors.”

Celeste shoved her annoyance aside. “Oh, I don’t know. It’s been kind of nice having a few days to myself.”

“You’ve lost a week’s worth of income.”

“I can handle it, Mom.” She closed the dishwasher and dried her hands on a dish towel, eager to get to the bottom of things. “So, why are you really in Ouray?”

“Darling, you’re my daughter.” Cup in hand, her mother eased out of the chair and moved into the living room.

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