“You cook, Daddy,” Rue said.
“I do now, and I’m grateful for online cooking videos, that’s for sure.” He put the oatmeal in the microwave and set it to cook but wondered if he should scramble some eggs too. When Linda returned carrying a smallish vacuum, he asked her.
“Maybe for lunch. If you try to feed her too much all at once, you might make her sick.”
“Good point.”
By the time Sandra appeared wearing an oversized sweat suit, her dark hair still damp from her shower, they had the place safe again.
“I’m so glad to see you up and about again,” Linda said, putting on her coat. “I wish I could stay, but work calls.” She gave Sandra a quick hug and hurried out the door.
Eb held up his daughter’s jacket, and she slid an arm into a sleeve. “Sandra, your fridge is stocked, and your oatmeal should be cool enough to eat now. Rue, don’t forget your backpack.”
“Thank you.” Sandra stood near the breakfast bar, looking dwarfed by the too-large clothing.
“You have my number. Call me for anything.” Without thinking about it, he leaned in and kissed her.
And she kissed him back.
CHAPTERELEVEN
Sandra’s warm lips shaped to Eb’s. The floral fragrance of her shampoo weaved through his senses, making it his new favorite scent. He brought his hands around her waist, and she responded by sliding hers around his neck. All hesitation about wanting more than friendship with her flew away.
Eb pulled her closer, and Sandra’s body molded into him as though they’d been created as a matched set, meant to be together like this. Yes! Shedidhave feelings for him. This was what he’d been longing for all his adult life. His heart urged him to go on kissing her forever—
“Daddy?”
Eb’s eyes popped open to find Sandra staring at him. The look on her face his joy as though he’d taken part in an ice bucket challenge. She washorrifiedhe’d kissed her. His stomach knotted, and he thought he might be ill. They’d dropped their arms, and he stepped away from her.
“I should get to work.” Eb couldn’t bring himself to look at Sandra, afraid to find her expression had turned to revulsion. He took Rue’s hand and went to the door, saying over his shoulder, “Remember to call if you need anything.”
As he hurried his daughter to the car, she chatted away like she did every morning. At least his little display hadn’t bothered her.
“Daddy, are you listening?”
Eb looked at her peeved little face through the rearview mirror and felt even more like a failure, this time as a father. He hoped she’d still been talking about the holiday.
“It sounds like the Wyndhams have a lot of fun things planned for Thanksgiving.”
“But can we go there?”
“Um, I don’t remember receiving an invitation.” Merry had mentioned in passing that this would be Nigel’s first one, and they were doingall the thingsto make it memorable for him. But she’d said nothing about including Rue and Eb.
“Of course we are. Grace said so. Wehaveto go. Grammy said we’ll starve to death if you cook our dinner.”
Despite the insult, Eb laughed. Linda wasn’t wrong there, but he wasn’t a complete incompetent in the kitchen anymore. Neither was he stupid. He’d already put in an order for a fully cooked meal from a local diner.
“Grace’s parents haven’t invited us, and unless they do, we’ll make our own family memories at home. I’m sorry.”
When he pulled into the daycare center’s parking lot, Rue still pouted, and she wouldn’t speak to him on the walk into the building. It was the first time she’d given him the cold shoulder and definitely reminded him of her mother.
They’d barely walked in the door when Rue turned and faced him. “Are you and Miss Sandra going to get married?”
Eb shot a quick glance around the crowded room, grateful no one was there who’d be likely to pass this on to her. He pulled his daughter to the side and squatted in front of her.
“Sandra and I are just friends.”
“But you kissed her. Like Grammy and Grampy do, and Grace’s mom and dad do.” Her expression turned thoughtful and then the hopeful look clouded. “Do you kiss lots of ladies? Mommy kisses lots of men, but she doesn’t get married to any of them. I’m glad because then they’d be my daddy, and I only want you to be my daddy.”
