Page 50

Leah pulled into the paved driveaway and parked in front of a two-car garage. She turned off the engine and sat there for a moment as she tried to calm herself. It was impossible. Her heart was doing a rapid tap-tap-tap. And her stomach churned with the coffee she’d had before she left.

Her head hurt as doubts crept into her mind. It wasn’t too late. She could back out of the driveaway and speed away just like she hadn’t been there. The idea was appealing to her—oh so appealing.

But then the front door opened. It was too late. She drew in a breath as she gathered her phone and purse.

She got out of the car and on legs that felt made of gelatin, she made her way along the walk. When she reached the small covered porch, she forced a smile to her face.

Before her stood Paul, who wasn’t smiling but he wasn’t frowning either. Was it possible he was as nervous as she felt?

Chapter Eighteen

Here goes nothing.

Leah swallowed hard and then smiled. Paul wasn’t the only one there to greet her. The woman next to him was several inches shorter than he was. She had honey-brown hair cut into a sleek bob. She had a warm smile on her face that lit up her brown eyes.

The woman pushed open the storm door. “Please come inside.” Just then there was a gust of wind. “Brr… It’s going to be a really cold night.”

Once inside, Leah shrugged off her coat. Paul took it for her and hung it in the hall closet.

“Hi, I’m Tracy.” The woman continued to smile. “It’s so good to have you here.”

And the next thing Leah knew, the woman was hugging her. Leah wasn’t used to hugs. Her mother wasn’t a hugger, and as a result, she wasn’t either.

When Tracy pulled back, she said, “I’ve been so excited to meet you since Paul mentioned you.” The woman looked at her closer. “I can definitely see a resemblance. You have his eyes.”

Leah nodded. “It was the first thing I noticed too.”

“And you have his hair color, well, before he started going gray.”

“Hey,” Paul said. “I thought you said the gray made me look distinguished.”

His wife turned to him. “It does, but you know that I’ll always think you’re handsome.”

He sent her a playful frown. “You better.”

Leah hid a smile as the two bickered. It was obvious they loved each other. And their banter helped ease her nerves a little. Still, she felt very much like an outsider.

Tracy turned back to her. “Please excuse us. Our boys—your brothers—say that we’re embarrassing with the way we carry on.”

And then Leah blurted out the thought that was weighing on her. “Are you sure you want me here?”

The smile slipped from Tracy’s face as her brow creased with concern. “Certainly we do.” She glanced over at Paul. “Don’t we?”

Paul nodded. “We definitely do. It was just such a shock. I’m still getting used to the idea.”

She wanted to believe them. Leah looked past them to the photos on the wall where they posed with three boys. They looked like such a happy family. She didn’t want to do anything to ruin that.

Her gaze returned to her father. “It isn’t every day you learn you have a twenty-eight-year-old daughter.” She rushed on to say, “If this is too awkward. I can go.” Her gaze moved between them. “I don’t want to cause any problems.”

“Why would you cause problems?” Tracy’s gaze searched hers.

“Because you know... I’m a daughter from my father's prior marriage.”

The worry lines smoothed in Tracy’s face. “Oh. That’s not a big deal. We all have pasts.”

Leah persisted. “But those pasts don’t usually come with surprise kids.”

Tracy sent her a reassuring smile. “Our oldest son wasn’t a surprise, but he is from my prior marriage. Mark is off at college, so you won’t get to meet him this evening. Anyway Paul happily welcomed him into our family. The least I can do is welcome you.”