Page 98 of Always Be Mine

Lucy nodded. “A holiday.”

“A holiday.” Mandi held up the phone. “Now go make yourself a tea, because you’re going to need to deal with this.”

“I think Garfield is sad, Daddy.”

Craig looked up to see Meri carrying the giant orange cat in her arms as she joined him on the deck, where he was watering the potted geraniums Meri and Lucy had planted a few weeks earlier.

“I don’t think the cat should be outside.” The last thing he needed was for Lucy’s cat to run away while they were looking after him. How would he explain that when she came back?

Ifshe came back.

“I can’t leave him alone,” Meri said. “He’s sad. He misses Lucy.”

You and me both, kitty.

Craig put the watering can down and scratched Garfield’s head. “You miss Lucy?”

“Yes,” Meri answered. “We do. When is she coming home?”

Home.

More than anything, Craig wished he had an answer for his little girl. And for himself.

It had been almost three days since she’d left, and he still hadn’t heard from her.

“Honestly?”

Meri looked up at him with wide eyes. He wouldn’t lie to his little girl. But she was too young to understand the truth. Especially when he himself didn’t understand how to explain that by trying to do what he thought was right, he’d screwed everything up.

No. He wasn’t ready for that particular talk yet.

“She’ll be back soon.” Damn, he hoped he was telling the truth. “Now please go put Garfield back inside before he decides to go for a walk on his own. It’s time to go to Savi’s. You don’t want to be late, do you?”

Just as he guessed, Meri quickly returned Garfield to the safety of the house, put her shoes on, and was ready to go in no time flat for her day of play at Savi’s.

Ten minutes later, he’d dropped Meri off, thanked Dina profusely for bailing him out, and was headed to the plaza and the piles of work that was waiting for him at the shop. Despite the way the chocolate launch had ended, it had been a wildly successful evening. Dozens of orders were waiting for him, as well as a few contracts for providing the confections for corporate events, and even one wedding that was scheduled to be held at the ski hill in the fall.

But Craig couldn’t concentrate, and he only had one person to blame. He turned away from the plaza and drove his car up behind Main Street and toward the outskirts of town. He parked in the empty lot and made his way into the cemetery.

He hadn’t been to visit either of his parents’ graves since the day they buried Michael Carlson, and he felt a flicker of guilt as he stopped first at his mother’s headstone.

“Hi, Mom.” It had never come naturally for him to talk to her out loud, but she was never far from his heart. “Sorry it’s been awhile.” He crouched and pulled at some grass around her marble headstone. “Things have been busy with Meri and…well, you should see her. She’s so big, and she reminds me so much of you.” He smiled a sad smile and let his head drop. “I met a woman. She’s amazing. But she…”

His words drifted away, but he didn’t try to pick up his train of thought.

“I love you, Mom.”

Craig dusted off his legs as he stood and turned slowly to look at his father’s headstone for the first time.

Emotions flooded through him. With everything that had happened since Michael Carlson had died, with his ridiculous stipulations to his will, Craig hadn’t had time to really process what it meant now that his father was gone.

Michael had been a great father. Firm, and fair. But there was never a doubt that he loved his children and would do anything for them. He’d been an excellent grandfather, doting on Meri every chance he got.

When Craig announced he’d decided to be a single father, his own dad had been nothing but supportive. Of course, he was concerned for him and the baby’s future, but he’d only ever made Craig feel like he could do it. Like he could do anything.

It was because of the type of father he’d had, that Craig knew he wanted more than anything to be an amazing dad, too. He’d had such an excellent role model.

Until lately.

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