Page 102 of A Dream for Daphne

“Yay,” Holly said, jumping up and down.

“I’ll go run her for you so she’s a little calmer.”

“Thanks,” Reese said, laughing. “You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”

“It’s good for us both,” she said. “Come on, Holly, back to the fenced-in yard. Tatum is dozing and you and I can play together.”

“Bye, Daddy,” Holly said, turning to walk back, but this time she reached for Daphne’s hand to hold.

If Daphne felt as if this was a picture-perfect life she’d like to have, she told herself to not rush it.

She could see it with Abe, but she needed to push it into the future because she had a job to do that just warmed her in a way she’d never felt in her life before.

It was nice to know that she had this kind of happiness in her career and in her personal life. But that if she only had her career, she’d be fine too.

No, she wouldn’t, she thought when the smile fell from her face.

She’d be heartbroken without Abe and hoped to hell she wouldn’t ever have to worry about that.

34

CRYING BULLSHIT

“Ihad a great few weeks here,” his mother said on Saturday morning. “I’m going to miss it not being as hot as it is in Florida.”

“You could stay longer,” Abe said. “You know that.”

“Please,” his mother said, waving her arm. “You wanted me out last week.”

He laughed. “Never.” He turned his head and his mother was staring him down like she had as a kid to see him squirm. Which he did in the truck. “I’m not stupid enough to admit that.”

His mother laughed. “I know that. And you’re itching to see Daphne more. That alone is worth it for me to go home.”

“I am,” he said. “Do you think we could come for Christmas?”

“What?” his mother asked. “Seriously?”

He hadn’t brought it up last night because they had dinner out with Laurel and Easton and then his mother was packing. He knew he had time to talk to her this morning.

“I am,” he said. “I talked to Daphne yesterday. She thought it was funny that someone from Florida would want to come where it was cold and I said I tried to see you.”

“But you don’t want to be away from her at Christmas this year?” his mother asked. “Don’t worry, I won’t be offended that you’d rather be with her than me. I knew that and it’s why I planned on flying back.”

“It’s not a matter of being with one of you more than the other,” he said. “But I did want to be with Daphne. She’d said she’s never been on a vacation before. It’d be nice to give her that, if she can get the time off.”

“That’s nice of you,” his mother said. “You’re always thinking of others.”

He snorted. “Not everyone thinks that.”

His mother frowned. “What does that mean?”

He was debating telling her about Ella.

It’s like he couldn’t get this shit out of his head at times and needed to.

He wanted to tell someone and his choices were limited to his mother and Easton.

Easton would tell him he was being an idiot.

---