Saving the Single Dad's Bookstore by Nicole Lam

Author:Nicole Lam
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-09-26T19:25:39+00:00

* * *

“You don’t know how to bowl?” Gianna asked him, her arms folded over her chest. She stared up at him as though he’d confessed to hating chocolate or murdering someone. “You arranged all of this at the bowling alley, but you can’t bowl?”

Lillian tossed her bowling ball between her hands as effortlessly as he would a basketball. “He said he doesn’t know how to bowl.”

“Still, a grown man, not knowing how to bowl? This is an outrage.”

Dominic’s parents joined them.

“Grandpa, can you bowl?” Emmett asked.

Dominic’s mother responded, picking up a bowling ball. “Back when we were Dominic’s age, your grandpa and I were the undisputed champions of our bowling league.”

“What does undisputed mean?”

“It means no one can argue with it,” Dominic’s father explained.

“I want to be undisputed, too,” Emmett declared.

Dominic chuckled but didn’t correct his son. “So, are you going to help us learn how to bowl?”

“Yes, of course.” Lillian cleared her throat. “Welcome to Gianna and Lillian’s bowling school.”

“Let’s get the bumpers for them so the ball doesn’t roll into the gutter,” Gianna suggested.

Half an hour into their “lesson,” Dominic felt somewhat more confident about being able to throw a bowling ball without it rolling into the gutter. After forty-five minutes, he felt certain he could hit some pins with it. He’d played basketball in high school but had rarely done any bowling growing up. Being an only child, he hadn’t had any siblings to go bowling with, and going with his parents had felt embarrassing and awkward. The last time he’d bowled had been years ago on a date with Carly, at her behest.

He snuck a glance over at Gianna, who was instructing Emmett on how best to grip the bowling ball he carried with both hands. Involuntarily, his lips twitched into a smile. It wasn’t simply that she was good with children in general. It was also that she seemed to like Emmett, and his son had warmed up to her.

In Toronto, he’d never entrusted Emmett to any babysitter but the kind neighbor one condo over, a sweet grandmother whose family lived across the country. But here in Crabtree, everything was different. He would have to watch his son grow up. He’d have to let go of him even just that little bit.

Though he’d only known her for a few weeks, Gianna felt like someone he could trust. Even when she was the one who was falling into his arms.

“Are you staring at my best friend?” Lillian’s voice interrupted him from his thoughts.

He cleared his throat. “I—”

“It’s okay, I don’t blame you. She would make a great mom, wouldn’t she?” she said, displaying about as much tact as a bull in a china shop. “I think the two of you would make a cute couple. And your son seems to like her.”

He narrowed his eyes, trying to understand Lillian’s intentions. “Why do you want me to get together with your friend?”

Lillian shrugged. “You spend a lot of time together, and she doesn’t want the bookstore to be gutted.

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