Stephanie Dees - The Dad Next Door

Joe ran around the bed, jerked it off and dropped to his knees beside her. Her skinny arms were over her face and he could see her shaking. He reached out to touch her and pulled his hand back. A few days ago she wasn’t even talking to him. He wasn’t sure she would welcome his touch.

The fickle fall Alabama weather had turned cool again and she was wearing denim shorts and a sweatshirt with some furry boots that all the kids were wearing this year. She was covered in dirt. And he had no idea what to do with her. Call 911? “Amelia? You okay? Is there anything I can do?”

She threw her arms away from her face and he saw her big smile, small white teeth in an even row. The laugh spilled out as she grabbed the hand he held out to her as he tried to hide his sigh of relief that she was okay.

“Trying to get rid of me already?” She brushed the dust off her shirt, long dark hair sliding forward to cover her face.

It was a joke, but one that sent pain spearing through him. She’d been allowed to think he didn’t care for far too long. He said quietly, “I don’t want to get rid of you.”

She glanced up at him, stared into his ugly, scarred face and patted his cheek. “Thanks. I don’t want to get rid of you, either.”

He wasn’t sure if she believed him, but he was going to keep saying it until she did. “Wanna go again?”

“Yeah, but I want to keep the bed part and paint it, okay? So don’t break it.”

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.