A Weekend Getaway by Karen Lenfestey

Author:Karen Lenfestey
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Women, Family Life, Romance, Domestic Life, Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Women's Fiction
Published: 2014-07-30T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Parker rang the bell of the adobe house and shoved his still-twitching hands in his pockets. Adrenaline pulsed through his system as he anticipated meeting his daughter for the first time. Unable to stand still, his feet shuffled side to side.

Hurry up, hurry up! He’d flown to Dallas as soon as he could book a flight. Hannah had called him and he came. He couldn’t possibly wait one minute longer!

A moment later, a teenaged girl opened the door. Brown hair, brown eyes, a perky nose—she looked a little like Bethany and a little like pictures he’d seen of his mom when she was young. He bit the inside of his mouth to stop the flood of emotion.

Dressed in denim shorts and an Olympic T-shirt, she smiled hesitantly, revealing silver braces. “Parker?”

Staring at her fresh face, he nodded. Should he hug her? Part of him wanted to, yet they’d just met. That would be awkward.

She opened the door wide, then waved him inside where Taylor Swift’s “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together” echoed down the hall. Instinct kicked in and he offered a handshake. The scrunched-up look on Hannah’s face and her limp wrist let him know that he’d done the wrong thing. Damn!

An auburn-haired woman not much older than him, wearing a floral dress, stepped from behind Hannah. “I’m Connie Taylor.” She shook his hand, then addressed her daughter. “Go turn down that music, so we can hear ourselves think.” She chuckled nervously as Hannah complied.

Parker studied the room decorated with Native American blankets and pottery. So this was where his child grew up. Very different from his glass house at the beach. Texas middle-class. He wasn’t quite sure how that sat with him, but he remembered his manners. “Nice place you have here.”

“Thank you. Have a seat.” She remained standing while the music shut off. “Would you like some sweet tea?” Before he could answer, she headed for the kitchen.

“Sure.” Just then Hannah returned and they sat across from each other on a matching couch and loveseat upholstered in Southwestern colors. The girl watched him, but didn’t speak.

Carrying a tray with three glasses of iced tea, Connie broke the silence. “Did you find the place okay?” She set the tray on the coffee table and offered him one of the tall glasses.

Leaning forward, he took it from her. “Yes. No problem. Thanks for inviting me.” Everyone sipped their tea and the ice cubes clinked.

He’d been cheated. He wished Hannah had grown up with him, wished he were the one to tell her to turn down her music, to stop chatting on the phone, to be home by midnight. Assuming she went out at night. He didn’t know. Taking into account her big brown eyes, she probably had plenty of dates. And it should’ve been his job to scare the guys into behaving like gentlemen.

Parker watched as Hannah picked at the hem on her denim shorts and Connie kept touching the heart-shaped locket around her neck. He wondered if it held a picture of Hannah.

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