Harlequin Love Inspired March 2018--Box Set 1 of 2 by Patricia Davids

Author:Patricia Davids
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488090998
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

When Eduardo pulled his truck into the parking lot by the pond the next morning, he wasn’t surprised to see Fiona and her kids pulling gear from her SUV.

Of course they were coming to today’s fishing derby. Everyone in town was here.

In fact, he was late. As the person supervising the fishing of the eight- to ten-year-olds, he should have arrived half an hour early. But getting out of bed had proved to be a chore.

He’d tossed and turned most of the night, his mind cycling restlessly through particular moments. Sofia’s accusation: you’re not supposed to kiss anyone but Mom. Little Poppy’s glee as she ran off to tell the other kids—and anyone else in earshot, presumably—about the romantic moment she’d seen. Fiona’s stricken face last night in the garden before she’d brushed off his remarks with a carelessness that had surprised him.

And most of all, the bittersweet rightness of holding Fiona in his arms.

“There’s Lauren and Ryan,” Diego said. “Let’s go with them.”

He was opening his mouth to respond when he saw Fiona tug her eldest two back toward her and walk in the opposite direction from where he stood with his kids.

He dawdled at his truck until the Farminghams were out of sight and then headed toward the pond, where organized chaos reigned.

On one side was a large wading pool set up with toy fishing lines. A sign read Two- to Three-year-olds. Rowdy toddlers darted around while parents tried to keep them from plunging into the pool.

Many residents of the town, those who had grandkids or kids here and those who didn’t, had set up lawn chairs. He walked by Mr. Love and Miss Minnie among some other residents of the Senior Towers. Kirk, the man who’d been complaining about sweets and gas yesterday, was at it again, saying, “You mark my words, there’s a storm coming. I always feel it in my left knee.”

“You and your left knee,” muttered Nonna D’Angelo as her grandson, Vito, helped her into her seat.

On a small podium, Lou Ann was setting up chairs and a stand for first-place, second-place and third-place winners. Two older gentlemen stood arguing, one overdressed for the occasion and one underdressed. Mr. Hinton, Senior, and old Gramps Camden had been rivals for Lou Ann’s affections for many years. As usual, she was ignoring their blustering and getting things done.

Farther down the shoreline, little Mercedes Camden held a group of kids rapt. As Eduardo and his kids got closer, he saw that Fiona’s brood had stopped to listen. “When I was little, I got lost here,” Mercedes was saying proudly. “It was winter, and it was cold! I hid under this boat, right here.”

“Didn’t you freeze?” a girl asked.

“How’d you get found?” That was Ryan, sounding worried.

“My daddy found me,” Mercedes said proudly. “And he carried me back to Mama Fern, and now we all live together.”

“C’mon, Dad!” Diego was tugging at his arm. “They’re about to tell the rules!”

Sure enough, there was a megaphoned explanation of the age groups and prizes for most fish and biggest fish.

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