Love Unleashed by Julie Evelyn Joyce

Author:Julie Evelyn Joyce
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Julie Evelyn Joyce

10

Diana whizzed past Kent for the dozenth time, the cape of her costume flapping in the breeze. Halloween had come and gone, but Diana still wore her Wonder Woman outfit just about every night.

He’d caved and bought her all the accessories too: the tiara, the bracelets, the lasso. Yes, he was a pushover at times when it came to his daughter, but he was also the dad who’d held her hand tightly and walked her to every front door, and the one who’d thoroughly checked all her treats and doled them out in small amounts.

Had Lily still been alive, she’d have probably made Diana’s costume. Perhaps a sparkly princess dress, or maybe a fuzzy teddy bear outfit. She was the artistic one. But he’d taught himself a few skills over the years that he was sure she’d be proud of. He’d mastered pigtails. Learned how to bake and decorate cupcakes. He could mend holes, and reattach buttons, and get stubborn stains out of nearly every item of clothing Diana decided to put to the test.

He’d started traditions with her, like carving pumpkins at Halloween—two jack-o-lanterns were currently sitting outside their door—and cutting out paper snowflakes to hang at Christmas, and having a “wacky utensil night” once every month. He’d fill a bag with things like a potato masher, a slotted spoon, a whisk, or a spatula, and they’d have to use whichever utensil they pulled from the bag to eat their spaghetti dinner. On many occasions, after loads of giggles, Diana had simply resorted to sticking her whole face in the bowl and eating like, well . . . a dog.

Diana buzzed by him again, humming some unknown tune as she went. She’d been chattering at him incessantly since their trip to The Barkery, begging him to take her back because “Miss Hannah said I could come.” Miss Hannah this. Miss Hannah that. These days, practically every word out of his daughter’s mouth had something to do with Hannah Barker.

He wasn’t really that surprised. Hannah was like a Barbie doll come to life. Smart, sassy, charismatic, and fun. But he hardly knew the woman beyond the carefully put-together façade she showed the world. In truth, he was afraid to get to know her, because that would mean deviating from the routine. The life he’d carved out for them through blood, sweat, and too many tears to count.

Kent finished tidying up the counter, then opened the cupboard and took out a bowl and a bag of popcorn. A treat for her to share with Nana and Papa. They were due to arrive any minute to babysit while he attended the town council meeting. The official night of the vote, when everything would be decided.

Diana took another trip around the counter, but as she moved to get past him, he grabbed her by her middle and threw her over his shoulder. She squirmed in his arms, giggling hysterically. “Put me down, you bad guy! I’m a superhero. You’ll never catch me!”

Kent chuckled. “I already caught you, silly girl.

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