Texas Daddy by Jolene Navarro

Author:Jolene Navarro
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Love Inspired
Published: 2017-09-05T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Adrian glanced at his daughter. The yellow ribbon that tied off her braid had slipped loose and threatened to fall off. He reached over and quickly retied it. Looking up at him, she smiled. Yeah, he tended to worry and be overprotective, but wasn’t that a dad’s job? He rested his hand on her small shoulder and squeezed.

When he’d told her that her mother had visited and had given him a letter for her, he’d expected her to want to read it. Instead she narrowed her eyes and stared at him for a long while before asking what he wanted her to do.

That had caught him off guard. What did he want? He wanted Charlotte to go back wherever she came from and stay out of their lives. He had hesitated. Closing his eyes, he had prayed for the right words. None came, so he told her he wasn’t sure how he felt.

“Earth to Dad.” Mia lightly jabbed him with her elbow.

He glanced around. People were getting up from the pews. George laughed. “I think he might be distracted.” He nodded to the pew in the front, where the Bergmann sisters sat.

“Dad, I said you need to stop by Fred’s Tacos and get some of the barbacoa for your date. Lizzy says it’s her aunt’s favorite thing to eat.”

“It’s not a—”

“Hey, mija. Are you ready to do some shopping?” His sister Leti hugged Mia from the back. With her arms around her, she rested her chin on his daughter’s head. “You’re getting taller!”

“Shopping? I thought you were going to the children’s museum.” He scowled at his sister. He budgeted their shopping trips and he didn’t have the extra money right now unless he went into his savings.

“Oh, stop scowling at me. If a single, hardworking woman can’t splurge on her favorite niece, what good is it?” She looked down at Mia. “Are you ready?”

A sweet giggle came from his daughter. He hoped she never outgrew that sound. “I’m your only niece.”

She shrugged. “I’m sure you would be my favorite if I had twenty. Let’s go.”

“Yes, ma’am. As soon as I know Daddy is set. He’s going on a date with Nikki.”

“It’s not a date.” He tried to keep his voice low so others wouldn’t overhear. “We’re just going riding over her mother’s ranch.” All three sets of brown eyes looked at him as if they didn’t believe a word of it. He sighed and scanned the room for Nikki. He really wanted to get on his horse and get away from all the people who wanted to meddle in his life. Somehow, she had become the calm spot in the midst of his storms.

“I just don’t want you to mess this up, Daddy.”

George laughed. “Oh, he will.”

Sometimes he really didn’t like his brother. Leti took Mia’s hand. “Remember to have fun, Adrian, and smile. Women like it when you smile.” She winked at George.

Before Leti got too far, Adrian reached for her arm and leaned in close, so no one would hear.

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