Fatherhood Lessons by Gabrielle Meyer

Author:Gabrielle Meyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-11-29T19:07:30+00:00

* * *

Ever since Merritt’s email from the school in South Carolina four days ago, things had been different between her and Knox—and he didn’t like it. She was a lot more distracted, and not in a good way. He would have expected her to be overjoyed at the prospect of interviewing for her dream job—yet she was more impatient and preoccupied than he’d ever seen her.

But he understood she had been through a lot the past month, and she had some big decisions to make. All her plans had been in upheaval since her wedding had been canceled, and she needed time and space to figure things out. If she was a little impatient or preoccupied lately, it was understandable.

Knox filled a picnic basket with the fried chicken he’d made earlier and the potato salad the girls liked so much. Merritt had taken Blair and Addison upstairs, putting on sweatshirts to go out on the lake for a late supper picnic and fireworks. It was the Fourth of July, and Merritt would be leaving bright and early the next morning to drive to the Minneapolis airport. It was about a hundred miles, and her flight left at noon. She’d use Knox’s SUV and park it at the airport and then bring it back next week when she returned. He had a Jeep he only used in the summer and wouldn’t miss the SUV.

“We’re ready!” Addy called as she skipped into the kitchen, Blair on her heels. “Have the fireworks started yet?”

“Not until dusk,” Knox said as he filled a cooler with some soda pop as a treat for the girls.

Merritt came in next, wearing a pair of cropped jeans, a plain white T-shirt, tucked in at the front, and a pair of sandals. She had a cardigan over her arm and wore her hair loose tonight. It was long and flowed down to the middle of her back. Her dimples popped out when she caught his gaze and offered a sad smile.

Was she as unhappy to leave as he was to see her go? It would be so strange without her in the house for the next week.

“Do you need help with anything?” she asked him.

“I think I have everything ready. I could use some help carrying out the picnic basket.”

She closed the lid and lifted it while Knox picked up the cooler.

“Can Darby come with us?” Addy asked. “She likes the pontoon.”

“Sure she can come.” Knox opened the back door. “Hopefully she’s not scared of fireworks.”

“She won’t be scared,” Blair said. “She loves fireworks.”

“How do you know?” Knox asked.

“We watched the fireworks with Mrs. Masterson last year. Darby barked the whole time.”

Knox glanced at Merritt, leery with the idea of taking the dog if she was going to be upset.

“Mrs. Masterson had to put her in the house,” Addy said. “And she barked inside, too.”

“See?” Blair said. “She’s not scared of them.”

“Well,” Knox said with a sigh, “we’ll see how she does.”

The little troop walked onto the patio, toward the lake.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.