Mine to Love: (A small town frenemies to lovers office romance) (Acadia Falls Book 2) by Marianne Rice
Author:Marianne Rice [Rice, Marianne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, small town romance
Publisher: Marianne Rice
Published: 2023-09-21T16:00:00+00:00
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Sunday night dinners with my father and Mariah have become routine over the past month. Since Iâve been working six days a week, I donât have much time or opportunity for a social life anymore. That and Emerson living in marital bliss.
Melinda and Doug often chide me for putting in too many hours, but I donât have much else to do, and I feel the need to help Logan as much as possible. We may work together, but heâs rarely in the Maine office. He spends most of his time in Austin, and when he is in Maine, heâs often working behind closed doors.
âIt smells wonderful, sweetheart.â My father steps out onto the back deck and takes a seat at the patio table. His mobility has increased ten-fold over the past few months. I attribute it to not having to sneak around with Mariah.
Sheâs good for him. Sweet, funny, and just hard enough with his therapy without pushing him too far.
âThanks, Dad. Is Mariah on her way? Sheâs not usually late.â I close the lid to the grill and turn down the heat. âThe chicken will be ready in about ten minutes.â
âActually, sheâs not going to be able to make dinner.â
âOh no.â I sit next to him and hold his hand. âIs everything okay between you two?â
He squeezes my hand and chuckles. âItâs perfect. Weâre happily in love.â
âLove.â I sit back and blow out a puff of air. âWow.â
âAre you okay with that? I didnât know it would come as such a surprise. I thought you liked her.â
âOh, I do. Sheâs perfect for you and going by the number of times she laughs and the permanent smile on her face, I assume youâre perfect for her as well.â
âIâd like to ask Mariah to move in with me.â
With me. Not with us.
âPeanut.â He takes my hand again, bringing my knuckles to his cheek. âYou donât have to take care of me anymore. You can live your life.â
âIâll always take care of you, Dad.â
He kisses our joined hands. âIâm the one who should be taking care of you. I owe you.â
âNo, Dad. You donât owe me anything. Youâre my father. I love you.â
âExactly. Iâm your father, and I love you. And sometimes loving someone means having the tough conversations.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âYouâll be twenty-nine next month. Youâre making a good salary. I think itâs time you venture out on your own and get yourself an apartment or maybe a condo.â
âYouâre kicking me out?â
âNo. Iâm letting you go. Iâm releasing you from your duties.â
âYouâre not a duty, Dad.â
âPeanut. Go live. Be free. Be happy. Find true love.â
âI can do that here.â
The thought of moving out on my own excites and terrifies me. Iâm more than ready to be independent, but what if something happens to him and Iâm not around? What if he has another stroke and I donât see him for three weeks and heâs alone on the floor of his bedroom?
âI can see those intelligent wheels spinning. Nothing is going to happen to me.
Download
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.
Tempt (Cloverleigh Farms Next Generation Book 4) by Melanie Harlow(217)
Mine to Love: (A small town frenemies to lovers office romance) (Acadia Falls Book 2) by Marianne Rice(154)
Flowers in Your Hair: A Small Town Romance (Ivy Ridge Book 1) by Alice Daniels & Saylor Ann(138)
Ready for You: (Falls Security Book 2) by R.K. Thomas(111)
Crimson River (The Edens) by Devney Perry(108)
J. R. Ward the Moorehouse Legacy Complete Collection by J. R. Ward(98)
Chimera (Blackwood Security Book 16) by Elise Noble(91)
Mistress Masquerade by Juliet Landon(88)
Obsession Falls: A Small-Town Romance by Claire Kingsley(85)
Harlequin Special Edition April 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 by Lynne Marshall(83)
Taken by the Grump (Burly Mountain Men Book 1) by Erin Havoc(81)
Matilda's Wedding & A Brevia Beginning by Betty Neels(80)
Harlequin Heartwarming December 2015 Box Set by Melinda Curtis(79)
Brambleberry Shores: The Daddy Makeover ; His Second-Chance Family by RaeAnne Thayne(78)
Trusting Tess (Bedford Park Book 2) by Connie Davé(76)
Burn by Abbi Glines(74)
Sprinkle of Snow: Small-town Sweet Romance with a Hint of Magic (Spellbound in Hawthorne Book 2) by Lorin Grace & Maria Hoagland(69)
Love Inspired Suspense September 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Maggie K. Black(68)
Perfect Strangers by Carly Phillips(68)