The Deputy's Holiday Family by Mindy Obenhaus

Author:Mindy Obenhaus
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-01-10T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

After a lunch of chili and corn bread at the ranch, Matt, Lacie and Kenzie returned to his house to decorate their tree. Lacie helped him carry it into the house, set it up and now, as he finished stringing the multicolored LED lights they’d bought in Montrose, she pulled a pan of break-and-bake cookies from his oven. After all, what was a tree-trimming party without cookies and cocoa? Even if they were both instant. She just hoped the decorations would perk up that sad little tree.

Not that she or Matt really cared anymore. Today was all about Kenzie.

“Cookies are done,” she hollered from the kitchen.

“So are the lights,” Matt responded.

Perfect timing.

She quickly transferred the cookies to a plate then joined Matt and Kenzie in the living room.

He knelt beside the tree, in the corner, near the bookcase as they’d discussed last night. “Are you ladies ready?”

“Yes!” they responded in unison.

Hand perched on her hip, Kenzie looked rather impatient. “Hurry up, Matt.”

He laughed. “Okay, here we go.”

A split second later the humble tree glowed with brilliant shades of red, green, blue, yellow and orange.

Kenzie gasped, tilting her head all the way back so she could see the top of the tree that almost reached the nine-foot ceiling. “Pretty.”

“And we’re not even done yet, small fry.” Matt joined them at the coffee table. “Your aunt Lacie is going to add some of that ribbon we bought, then we get to put on the ornaments.”

She stared up at him very matter-of-factly. “Don’t forget the star.”

“That’s right.” He lifted Kenzie into his arms and started back toward the tree. “And since you’re going to put it up—” he hoisted her over his head “—we’d better make sure you can reach.”

Laughing, she stretched out an arm as he moved her closer. “I toucheded it.”

“Good.” He lowered her into his arms again. “Then you got the job, kid. Now, what do you say you and I chow down on some of those snowman cookies while Lacie puts the ribbon on the tree.”

“Okay.” She wriggled free.

Armed with a large spool of burlap ribbon and scissors, Lacie moved toward the tree. “You guys had better leave me some.”

“Aww, do we have to?” Matt handed a cookie to Kenzie.

“Yes, you have to.”

“Man. You hear that, Kenz? The boss says we can’t eat all the cookies.”

Her niece scrunched up her nose. “You’re so silly, Matt.”

Watching the two of them, one would think they’d known each other forever. Kenzie seemed as comfortable with him as she was with Lacie. And Matt...?

The look of horror and desperation on his face when he realized Kenzie was missing was unlike anything Lacie had ever witnessed. And it said a lot about the depth of love he felt for his daughter.

But not only had he been there for Kenzie, he’d been there for Lacie, too. She couldn’t imagine what she would have done without his help. Then again, if it weren’t for him, she and Kenzie wouldn’t have been there in the first place.

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.