A Gift of Family E-Book

Tami Veldura

• Herausgeber: Dreamspinner Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 56

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Scott Burke has always desired a big family, but as a divorced single dad, all he has is his young daughter, Lexi. He pours himself into raising her, half-convinced he'll never find what he's looking for. When Brennan Price strolls into Scott's life, he'd better have enough patience for both Lexi and Scott if he intends to stick around. Brennan has a huge family and a successful career, but no one to call his own. Wooing Scott and his daughter is right up his alley, though, and he steps up to the challenge to prove he's enough for both of them. His attraction to Scott is immediate, but he recognizes a family man when he sees one and hatches a plan to win Lexi over. Her handsome father is sure to follow…. A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2017 Advent Calendar "Stocking Stuffers."

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By Tami Veldura

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A Gift of Family

By Tami Veldura

Scott Burke has always desired a big family, but as a divorced single dad, all he has is his young daughter, Lexi. He pours himself into raising her, half-convinced he’ll never find what he’s looking for. When Brennan Price strolls into Scott’s life, he’d better have enough patience for both Lexi and Scott if he intends to stick around.

Brennan has a huge family and a successful career, but no one to call his own. Wooing Scott and his daughter is right up his ally, though, and he steps up to the challenge to prove he’s enough for both of them. His attraction to Scott is immediate, but he recognizes a family man when he sees one and hatches a plan to win Lexi over. Her handsome father is sure to follow….

SCOTT BURKE watched his young daughter lever herself up onto her bare feet and balance awkwardly on the blanket he’d set out over the lawn. It was a bit lumpy, but she toddled to the edge with confidence and considered the grass. Scott folded another sausage and cheese slice into his mouth. They’d been at the park for nearly an hour already. Between the sun and dozens of other playing families, Scott hoped to wear Lexi out for her afternoon nap. She showed no signs of flagging, though, as she pitched her hands onto the grass and sat heavily on the edge of the blanket. Lexi held up a pudgy handful of green strands and thrust them toward Scott with a demanding, “Ahh!”

Scott held his hand out for the grass. Lexi opened her fingers, then shook her hand and huffed impatiently when a few blades stuck to her palm. Winning a smile off Scot, Lexi fisted and relaxed her hand until the pieces fell away. Scott caught most of them so Lexi pushed his fingers closed until Scott took the grass and added it to the substantial pile of blades she’d already given him. After a satisfied nod, Lexi wiped her hand on her blue dress. Well, it was more of an uncoordinated slap, but it did the job: clearing it of dirt and lingering strands. “Eeen?” She faced her palm at Scott.

“Clean, that’s right,” he said. Then he tapped her other hand, clenched tightly around a small carrot. “Eat your carrot.”

She looked at her fist like she’d forgotten it was there, then shoved it at Scott. “Et arro.”

“I should eat the carrot?” Scott pinched the top and gave it a gentle tug.

Lexi yanked her hand to her chest. “No!”

Scott chuckled. No had been Lexi’s first word, and she used it liberally. He pointed at her, “You should eat the carrot.”

“Arrot.” She spat the t sound and held her snack up high.

“Carrot,” Scott agreed.

She blew a raspberry and stood again. A string of drool flicked from her lips to the front of her dress. Scott grabbed the small towel beside him and wiped it up while she found her balance. She blew another raspberry and licked her lips in response.

Scott sat back on his hands as she turned around and found something else to occupy her attention. Her ping-pong interests occasionally left him scrambling to catch up, but he wouldn’t trade even a minute of it for the world. Lexi was everything to him and more. She brought him laughter, and he’d never thought he could love someone so intensely. He swore his heart grew every time she smiled at him. And the way her eyes lit up his soul, God, it scared him sometimes. From the first moment he’d held her in his arms, Scott understood why men would go to war for their kids. He’d never taken a self-defense course in his life, but he would end anyone who tried to harm his baby girl.

Her mother, Danielle, had been terrified that morning when the test came back positive. Scott understood; he’d been scared too. He wasn’t ready for a kid, their relationship was rough, but he’d also been overjoyed with the possibility. He had always desperately wanted a family, the tight-knit group of loyalty that he’d never had growing up. So it had come a little early. Scott was already working from home most days as a tech consultant, and he found the idea of a child unfolding before him. It was glorious. But Danielle had fallen into a deep depression that only seemed to worsen as the pregnancy went on. Scott helped her from doctor to doctor, but they all said the same thing: abort the child or manage the symptoms. There wasn’t much they could do otherwise.

Scott had gone cold at the thought of losing his baby. She was already his dream come true, and they hadn’t even picked out a name. But the toll on Danielle’s health couldn’t be denied, and he had to respect her decision, whatever it was. Thankfully, she felt the same. Aborting wasn’t an option. Yet deep in the middle of the night, after he held her through another session of heavy tears, she confided in him. She couldn’t keep this child. She was already looking into adoption paperwork.

Their relationship had fractured after that. Scott couldn’t agree to giving up his child, not after the months of caring for her and her mother. It became clear as delivery day approached that Scott couldn’t reconcile his love for Danielle with his desire for a child. After nine months he also wasn’t capable of managing Danielle’s mental health, and only hours before the doctors induced labor, he and Danielle agreed it was time for a divorce. So while he held his newborn in his arms, Scott also signed custody papers.

Danielle tried to tell him a few months later that the breakup wasn’t his fault, but Scott couldn’t help wondering if he hadn’t been so adamant about keeping Lexi, perhaps they could have salvaged themselves. He wouldn’t go back and change a thing, but he carried a pocket of guilt with him nevertheless. He kept in touch with Danielle, following her therapy progress and encouraging her decision to go back to school for a second degree. He saw her improve from a distance, over Facebook mostly. But they had become one of those ex-couples that hardly talked. They were barely even acquaintances almost a year later.

As much turmoil as her arrival caused, Lexi was a constant source of light for Scott. He had no regrets. She was growing up before his very eyes, guided by his own hands, and there was nothing he wanted more.

Except maybe someone to share her with. He still longed for a family big enough to flesh out an entire tree.

Lexi pointed behind Scott with her carrot and said, “Woof!”