His Sweet Surprise by Angie Dicken

Author:Angie Dicken
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-03-07T21:34:30+00:00

* * *

As usual, Maelyn observed the other kids playing before venturing in herself. She splayed her hands on the wooden edge and leaned forward, as if peering into water and not a gazillion corn kernels.

“Go on, Maelyn. Take off your shoes and hop in.” Piper’s mom sat on the edge next to her and peered into her granddaughter’s face. “It’s not deep.”

Piper knelt beside Maelyn, certain that her little girl wasn’t worried about the corn. She was assessing the rambunctious boys dumping kernels on each other’s heads and the two little girls burying their legs in the yellow bits. Maelyn stared hard at the corn beneath her only when one of the other children looked their way.

Piper understood. She snaked her hand around Maelyn’s waist. “Want me to go in with you?”

Maelyn’s eyes rounded. She fiercely nodded.

“Of course, sweet girl.” Piper pushed off her sneakers at the heels and swung her legs around, allowing her feet to sink into the corn. “Oh, what a strange feeling. It’s like being inside a bean bag.” She laughed and held out her hands to Maelyn. “Come on, Mae.”

Maelyn bit her lip, then slowly pushed off her slip-on canvas shoes and propped her knees up on the edge.

Piper’s mom plopped down next to Maelyn. “If your grandma can get in, Maelyn, then you can, too. Watch me.” Mom tapped Maelyn’s nose and plunged her socked feet in. “See, Grandma’s as cool as your mama.” She chuckled and held out her hand to Maelyn. The signature crease of worry between Mom’s brows appeared, just like it did whenever she witnessed Maelyn’s usual hesitation about kid-friendly activities. Piper winced at the missed opportunities for her daughter to bloom. Those times when Maelyn couldn’t attend events like kindergarten roundup or school ice-cream socials. All because Garrett had refused to drive them, and Piper had had nobody else to ask until Sue had moved in next door.

Maelyn slowly allowed her feet to sink into the pool.

“There you go.” Mom cheered. “See, isn’t it fun?”

Maelyn’s cute little nose scrunched up and pushed all her freckles into folds. “It’s so weird.”

Piper released all sorts of pent-up air and said an inaudible prayer of thanks for Mom’s way of encouraging her daughter without shame.

They played for several minutes. Maelyn wanted her legs buried like they were in sand at the beach, and Mom took pictures with her phone. Piper noticed Lance driving a flatbed truck to the back orchard, waving in the direction of the hayride station, although Piper couldn’t see the station from her angle.

“I think the hayride is back from its first round. We should head over to the orchard.” Mom and Piper took each of Maelyn’s hands, and they all stomped their way out of the pool. While they put on their shoes, they also dug out kernels of corn lodged in their socks. And as they walked over to the hayride, they stopped a couple times as Mom and then Maelyn had to fish out a kernel that had slipped to the bottom of their feet.

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