The Texan's Secret Daughter--A Fresh-Start Family Romance by Jolene Navarro

Author:Jolene Navarro
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-03-08T20:48:05+00:00

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Jazmine stared at the pages of her book, but the words just floated. Glancing up at the small group of children that had gathered around Elijah, she saw her shy daughter laughing as she played with children her own age. She looked like she belonged, instead of hanging around the edges watching the fun.

Elijah had done that for her. His charming, easygoing playfulness came so naturally to him. Early in their relationship she had told him he’d be a great father. Even now, she remembered the look of horror on his face. The thought of having children had terrified him.

Looking back, she had probably added to his stress every time she’d mentioned wanting children.

He’d been so afraid of becoming his father or uncle. But she had assured him that he was so different from them. To her, he had always been a man of honor, one who loved deeply.

She had to take her gaze off the man. Instead, she turned her eyes to the endless horizon. The Elijah she needed to remember was the one who had started drinking.

Not the boy she fell in love with, the one who taught her to embrace life and dive into the water, to jump from the pier and dance with joy. She had lost him to alcohol. The addiction and his family legacy had swallowed him in their undertow.

Watching him with the children, with their daughter, she saw the man she had thought he could be. With the castle high, his little fan club added shells to the turrets and towers. A couple of boys finished the moat and let the water come in with the tide. A cheer erupted from the group, who laughed and clapped as the water rushed in and surrounded the grand castle.

Rosemarie ran to the canopy. “Momma, did you see it? It’s the biggest one ever!” She grabbed the bag with the rest of the toys. “We’re going to put the other people and horses in it, then Daddy’s going to show me how to stand on the board. Are you going to do it, too?” She bounced with excitement as she gathered up all the toys Elijah had bought her.

“No, sweetheart. I’m going to watch from the shade.” Jazmine picked up a bottle. “Before you go, let me put more sunblock on you.”

“It was nice of Daddy to get us shade, wasn’t it?” Rosemarie lifted the curls off the back of her neck, so the lotion could be reapplied.

“Yes, it was very thoughtful of him. Now go play—you only have an hour left before we leave.”

“But I don’t want to leave. I have new friends.”

“No arguments, or we can leave now.” She looked over at the other kids. “I’m sure your father knows some of their parents, so we can invite them over.”

“Can I invite them to my birthday party?” She sounded like her father.

By then they might be back in Denver. “We’ll talk about it later. Go play.”

With a heavy sigh, Rosemarie bounded off to her father and new friends.

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