The Single Dad's Proposal by Karin Baine

Author:Karin Baine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-11-05T16:06:04+00:00

* * *

‘Wake up, Papa.’

Rafael’s fevered dreams about kissing Summer were quickly doused as he was slapped awake by his three-year-old.

‘Wh-what time is it?’ He reached for his watch on the nightstand, trying to force himself awake in case he’d overslept again. Given last night’s events, he wouldn’t have been surprised. He and Summer had crossed the line into romantic territory and he still had to process exactly what that meant for him, and Gracie.

His effective alarm call climbed down off his bed and toddled off out of the room again. As the numbers came into focus, he groaned and lay back down on the pillow. It was way too early for this.

‘Go back to bed, Gracie.’ He closed his eyes, grateful he had another couple of hours before he really had to get up. Unfortunately, the sound of cupboards being opened downstairs in the kitchen and the sound of dishes breaking ensured he was jumping out of bed seconds later.

Apparently, she was big and smart enough that safety gates and cupboard locks no longer posed any threat, except to his mental health. There were so many potential dangers he bounded down the staircase without a thought to the hazards of being barefoot.

After finding the plastic building blocks she’d abandoned on the floor, he hopped into a scene of utter carnage in the kitchen.

‘Are you okay?’ Ignoring the trail of cereal across the floor and the milk waterfall currently pouring off the kitchen worktop, he was more concerned with the damage she could’ve done to herself.

‘Breakfast, Papa.’ She was so pleased with herself as she presented him with a half-full glass of orange juice and a bowl of soggy cereal, there was no way he could be cross with her. He could clear the mess up any time but it wasn’t often his daughter did something so amazing for him.

‘Gracias, querida.’ He kissed the top of her head, tears springing to his eyes that she would even think of trying to make breakfast for him. It wasn’t yet clear to what extent her autism would impact on her life when she was older, but this small act was a welcome sign she was aware of the world around her and was capable of displaying emotion. If this wasn’t an expression of a child’s love for her father, he didn’t know what was.

He poured her some orange juice and cereal and pulled out a chair for her to join him. ‘Did you have fun last night?’

She nodded whilst munching a mouthful of multigrain hoops and he decided to push a little further when she was being this co-operative.

‘You like Summer, don’t you?’

She gave another emphatic nod as she shovelled in another spoonful of cereal.

‘Yeah, me too. We’re going to be working on this triathlon together so you don’t mind if she comes around sometimes?’ It was true, even if he hoped she’d be here for other reasons too. He wanted Gracie to be happy with the idea before he would even contemplate getting in deeper with Summer.

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