Instant Daddy by Carol Voss

Author:Carol Voss [Voss, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, General
ISBN: 0373876726
Google: GxgM4oQ5QPkC
Amazon: B004U73TYI
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2011-05-01T04:00:00+00:00

She pressed her fingers to her lips to hold back the onslaught of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. How could she sleep after reading a letter like that?

But how do I know if he means what he says? If I let him get close to Jake, will he try to take him away again?

Or was it like her father had said? Peter hadn’t understood because he’d never had a family? Had he really thought he could rip Jake away and become his family, just like that?

She couldn’t begin to imagine what it would have been like for him growing up without parents and relatives. Her heart ached thinking how lonely and afraid a little boy would be never knowing he was loved unconditionally. The way her parents loved Clarissa and her.

The way she loved Jake.

She had to protect her little boy and do what was best for him, no matter what. Knowing his daddy cared about him would be best for him, wouldn’t it? But would she be protecting Jake if she trusted Peter after what he’d tried to do? Oh, God, what if I make a mistake that hurts Jake?

Nothing could change that Peter was Jake’s daddy. Or that Jake deserved and needed him. How could she claim to love her son unless she forgave his father and gave him a second chance?

She hit Reply and stared at the blinking cursor for who knew how long. But words just wouldn’t come. Finally, she switched off her laptop and breathed a heavy sigh. It looked like another sleepless night lay in wait.

Her gaze rested on the phone, then the clock. It was 1:00 a.m. already? Too late to call Peter. Besides, what would she say? She could only hope the right words would come to her when she heard his voice.

Before she could change her mind, she grasped her little directory and found the cell-phone number he’d given her in case of emergency. If she woke him, too bad. Her own sleep deprivation was reaching the emergency stage, wasn’t it? She punched in his number. The phone rang three times, four…

“Sheridan.”

His deep voice sent a ripple along her nerves. She almost hung up but managed to stop herself. “Peter?”

“Jessie?”

He recognized her voice? Unprepared for the warm flood of emotion, she scooped her hair off her neck.

“Is Jake okay?”

She heard the alarm in his tone. “He’s fine. I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“I wasn’t asleep.”

Did he have trouble sleeping, too? “I read your email.”

A pause. “I mean every word, Jessie.” He sounded sincere enough.

She swallowed around a lump in her throat. “I hope so.”

“And I’m so sorry.”

She bit her lip. “I won’t let you hurt Jake,” she warned.

“I know. You were right to protect him.”

She sniffed, not knowing what to say. Words weren’t coming much easier on the phone than when she’d tried to write to him. “I’m sure you’d like to see him.”

“Very much. When?” he said in a rush.

She wasn’t ready for him. “This weekend won’t work. When I’m not at the diner, Jake and I will be picking strawberries Saturday.

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