Page 13 of Soren the Single Dad
“It'll happen eventually, and the parade will keep it low pressure. Lots of people around. Entertaining floats that make interrogations hard.”
“Or I can just pop by the vet with Biscuit,” Beckett threatens. He's the primary caretaker for the firehouse dog, which would make it entirely possible for him to ambush Diana at work.
“Fine, I'll ask Diana if she's free.”
“Free for what?” My daughter walks into the room with Kennedy, Wyatt, Griffen, and Gramps not far behind. So much for avoiding the rest of my family poking their noses in my business.
“How would you feel about asking Diana to join us at the All Schools Day parade?”
Her face lights up. “That's a great idea. She can see me with my class!” The fourth graders are riding in a decorated trailer to celebrate the end of the school year. It’s all Sara Beth’s been talking about for the past month.
“Then it’s settled.” Kennedy claps her hands in finality. “Soren is bringing a date, and we all agree to be on our best behavior.”
Beckett crosses his heart while sharing a mischievous smile with his twin.
Damn nosy siblings…
CHAPTER ELEVEN
DIANA
“That’s Gramps’s friend!” Sara Beth excitedly points at the street banner attached to a light pole. It has her great-grandpa’s old pal’s military portrait and his years of service listed. Based on what I’ve heard at the vet clinic this week, All Schools Day marks the end of the school year and the official start of summer activities, and I have to admit that the parade was super fun. Especially waving at Sara Beth as she and her classmates tossed candy to onlookers.
Apparently, Suitor’s Crossing makes it a habit of celebrating a lot of holidays, which is why Main Street is decked out with Memorial Day banners, too. Pictures of local fallen soldiers hang on each light pole and will stay there for the rest of May.
“Buddy was a good man,” Sara Beth’s grandpa says, staring up at the vinyl banner waving in the breeze. “Gone too soon; may he rest in peace.”
“Here’s everyone’s lemon shake-ups.” Soren returns to our spot under the Blushing Brides Boutique awning. When he’d invited me to spend the day with his family, I’d been nervous.
Was it too soon?
Would they like me?
But the Caldwells immediately welcomed me into the fold and eased my fears by cracking jokes and teasing Soren about us. It’sbeen a while since I’ve been part of such a tight-knit group. Most of my family, aside from Aunt Linda, lives across the country. I rarely saw them back when long work hours made it impossible to take time off, and now the distance is a big barrier.
“Mmm… What did you call these?” I ask, practically inhaling the ice-cold lemonade.
“A lemon shake-up,” Sara Beth interjects before her dad can answer. “Because you shake it real hard to mix everything up.” She demonstrates by aggressively jiggling the plastic tumbler in her hands. We laugh at her enthusiastic antics.
Soren’s daughter is adorable. With dating so far removed from my thoughts back when I was too busy working at Dr. Marshall’s, I rarely had time to consider how I’d feel dating a single dad. Children come with extra precautions, and at my age, most men have kids from previous relationships.
Maybe it helps that I’ve met Soren’s ex during one of the weekend handoffs of Sara Beth, and there weren’t any lingering feelings in the air between the co-parents.
Maybe it’s just Soren.
Or Suitor’s Crossingheart sparks.
But being a part of Sara Beth’s life doesn’t scare me. Soren and Marsha have a good system worked out. I’m just a bonus who gets to also enjoy the father-daughter duo.
“Are you doing okay? I know we can be a lot.” Kennedy leans in close to check on me as we head toward the carnival set up across from the courthouse square.
“I’m good, thanks. You’ve all been super kind to the random stranger your brother brought as a tagalong.”
Kennedy waves her hand in the air with a scoff. “You’re hardly a stranger or a mere tagalong. You’re important to Soren, or else he never would have considered asking you to join us. My older brother is extremely protective of our family.” She takes a sipof her lemon shake-up. “I met your Aunt Linda at a bingo night with Gramps. She raved about you.”
“Gotta love her enthusiasm.” I blush, imagining the sorts of things my over-exuberant aunt might have shared.
“She’s awesome and loves you very much. She’s happy you’re here and fancies herself a bit of a matchmaker now that you’re dating Soren.”
