Read Online Back Where You Belong by Vonnie Davis - Free Book Online

been wrong. Your dad was always devoted to your mother and you.” She had to get this mess straightened out before Olivia started announcing some phantom wedding date.
    The girl gave a wave of a hand to dismiss her remarks. “Mom never treated him right. Or me, either. She left us both.”
    This conversation was getting so out of hand. Was Olivia merely an angry teen trying to get back at her mother? Was that why she was on her gotta-get-my-dad-married kick? “If there’s not a strong bond of love between two people, they shouldn’t think about getting married.” She continued, hoping to get her point across. “My parents never married.”
    “Well, don’t you worry.” She hiked her pointy chin, determination set her jaw. “Cassidy and I will see you two are married before any babies come.”
    “Cassidy?” Oh, she was so losing this argument.
    “My BFF. She’ll love you, too.”
    “Too?” She had to get a handle on this conversation. “I’m trying to say that romantic relationships have to move in a progression of steps. First, the attraction.”
    “Which you and daddy already have. I see how he looks at you.” Olivia pushed her glasses back up, her expression eager with her get-daddy-married campaign. “He’s even started playing music again. After Mother left, he wouldn’t play music anymore. Said it was full of people crying about their broken hearts. Now, he’s listening and humming.”
    “Your dad hums?” Stay focused. Get this mess straightened out. “Ah…then the dating starts. They slowly learn things about each other.”
    “I can help with that. What do you want to know about Daddy? Just ask, I know it all.”
    “I just bet you do. Slowly, feelings of love develop.”
    “But what about love at first sight? Or unrequited young love?”
    Unrequited love? How did a thirteen-year old know about that? “You can’t make someone love you. I’ve learned that.” She wasn’t making any progress with Olivia. “This conversation is not to be shared with your dad.”
    To her relief, the girl nodded. “Right. It’s just between us women. Daddy won’t stand a chance.”
    Oh crap.
    A doctor stepped into the waiting room. “Who’s here for Tyler Desmond?”
    Olivia stood, and Lacy elbowed Pete awake. “We are.”
    He came to where they stood. “I’m Doctor Paulino.” He turned toward Lacy. “Are you Mrs. Desmond?”
    “Not yet,” Olivia chimed in, grinning from ear to ear.
    “Olivia, hush!” Was there no stopping her?
    The girl raised herself to her full four-foot-nine height. “I’m his daughter. Tell me about my dad. How is he?”
    “MRI and CT scans show he has a badly sprained left ankle and will be on crutches for a week or two. We had to operate to stop some internal bleeding. Removed his spleen. He has a concussion. Lots of scrapes and contusions. He’ll be here for a couple days. As soon as he’s out of recovery, you can see him. I suggest you go get something to eat. By then he’ll be in his room.”
    Olivia extended her hand. “Thank you, Dr. Paulino. You’ve been most kind.”
    The corners of the young physician’s mouth quirked as he shook hands with this child-woman. “It’s what I do, miss.” He turned and left the waiting room.
    She turned, a starry-eyed expression beaming. “Isn’t he the most handsome thing?”
    Lacy laughed. The girl might be petite, but her hormones were gigantic. She had romance on the brain.

Chapter Nine
    Olivia didn’t seem so grown up when she saw her daddy asleep with wires and tubes hooked up to him. Her hand flew to her mouth and tears filled her eyes. “His face.”
    A mass of bruises, one eye and his nose were swollen, there were stitches from his nose to his lip and someone had shaved his mustache, evidently so they could sew up the wound.
    Lacy wrapped her arm around the girl’s narrow shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. “He’ll be okay, honey. He just needs time to heal. Why don’t you sit next to him and hold