Read Online Abound in Love by Rosemarie Naramore - Free Book Online Page A

anything, but she was afraid…”
    “Afraid
of what?”
    “Afraid
you would, as she said, ‘give her what she deserved.’”  He stopped speaking
when little Krissy appeared in the doorway. 
    “Daddy!”
she cried, obviously delighted to see her father.
    “Hey,
there, Pumpkin.” 
    Krissy
turned toward Laura.  “I’m going home with Daddy,” she announced, obviously
pleased.  “Wait, I thought Kenny and me were going out to dinner with Mommy and
Aunt Laura.”
    “Not
tonight,” Dan said.  “We’re going to let Aunt Laura and Mommy visit.”
    Krissy
looked terribly disappointed, but queried, “Are we ordering pizza, Daddy?  And
watching the Disney Channel together?”  He nodded and she grinned, clearly
placated.  “Okay, bye, Aunt Laura.  I’m leaving.”
    Laura
chuckled at the quick-turn in her mood.  “You’re going to have to hug me
first,” she said, with a mock-frown.
    “Oh,
Aunt Laura, as if I would really leave without hugging you first.”
    Laura
pulled the little girl into an embrace.  “I love you,” she whispered into ear. 
“Tell your brother I love him too.”
    “I
will.  I love you too.”
     Thomas
cleared his throat and spread his arms.  “Hey, you’re forgetting somebody.”
    Krissy
shook her head, as if her uncle simply wore her out.  “I could never forget you
either, Uncle Thomas,” she said with an exaggerated sigh.
    A
moment later, as they watched the kids drive away with their father, Laura
uttered a prayer.  “Please, Lord, be with them…”

Chapter Seven
     
    “H ave fun
tonight,” Laura urged her brother, as she ushered him out the front door.  “And
tell Macy ‘hello’ for me.”
    “Will
do,” he said with a grin and a salute.  The salute reminded her of Dalton. 
Thomas reminded her of Dalton.  The truth was, just about everything in Battle
Ground reminded her of Dalton.
    When
she heard the sound of a car’s engine, and then the crunch of gravel, and spied
the patrol car pulling up, she knew who was behind the wheel. 
    Dalton.
    He was
probably coming home for something to eat.  She held the door open as he strode
up the steps, a broad smile creasing his face.  “Hey, Laura.”
    “Hey,
yourself.”
    He
glanced behind him.  “Was that Thomas I just passed on the road?”
    “Yes,
he’s going on a date with Macy.”
    He gave
a relieved smile.  “That’s great.  I know the two of them haven’t had much time
together lately.”
    “Yeah,
I figured as much.  He was awfully foul-tempered when he got home from work
today.”
    He
stepped past her and into the house.  He came to a stop.  “Where are the kids?”
    “With
their dad.”
    “That’s
good to hear.  Poor Dan’s been working so much O.T., he’s in dire need of a
break, and those kids are in dire need of an evening with their father.”
    “From
what I understand, they could use some time with their mom too.”
    He only
nodded gravely in reply.
    “Did
you come home for something to eat?  I’d be happy to fix you a sandwich.”
    “I
appreciate the offer, but I don’t have time.  I actually stopped by to get my
gloves.  It’s so cold out there tonight.  I’ll just go get them.  I’m on the
way to a call and need to get moving.”
    Laura
closed the door and sat back down on the couch.  She checked her watch.  It was
after six and she hadn’t seen nor heard from Candace.
    She
turned toward Dalton, when she heard him coming down the steps.  “Candace isn’t
here yet?” he asked, as he tugged on a pair of black gloves.
    “No. 
But she didn’t mention what time she was coming.  I probably should have
asked.”
    “Well,
I’m sure she’ll be here soon,” he said dubiously.
    “You
actually don’t sound very sure,” Laura said, narrowing her eyes and studying
his face.  He was so handsome—even more so as a man of thirty-one than he had
been as a teen.   The smoothness of his face had aged into an even more
appealing combination of masculine