Read Online Falling for the Single Dad by Lisa Carter - Free Book Online

Caroline.” He winked at her with a piratical gleam in his eye. His finger hovered over the end of his fork.
    Amelia sauntered into the dining room. “Don’t you even think about launching that pea like a cannonball.”
    He slumped in the chair. “A guy can’t have any fun.”
    Braeden poked his head around the doorframe. “Why, I’ve got more fun waiting for you than you can possibly imagine, son. Helping me wash and dry the dishes.”
    Max groaned. And Patrick wailed from his playpen in the corner.
    Amelia’s head fell back. “This teething business is going to be the death of me.”
    â€œPatrick wants to help us, Dad,” Max bellowed.
    The baby placed his chubby fist in his mouth and continued to cry. Without conscious thought, Caroline found herself at the playpen as Patrick’s arms reached for her.
    She lifted him out, and Patrick laid his head against her shoulder. He sucked at his tiny fingers. She stroked the crown of his silky brown hair and hummed a tune her mother had sung when Honey was little.
    At the sudden silence, Caroline pivoted with the baby in her arms. “Oh...” She blinked. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have...”
    She tried prying the baby off her chest, but he clung like a limpet to stone. “Here. He’s your baby. You’d know best how to soothe him.” Patrick grunted and hung on to her blue scrubs.
    â€œYou’re doing fine without me.” Amelia smiled. “I could use a break. And it looks like you’ve got the touch.”
    Her eyes widened. “What touch? You mean ’cause I’m a doctor? I’m an animal doctor, not a baby doctor.”
    â€œMom’s touch.” Amelia’s eyes welled. “You look so much like Mom standing there rocking him...” She took a breath. “You sound like Mom, too. It’s like having her here again.”
    Caroline dropped her face into Patrick’s soft curls. She inhaled the scent of his baby shampoo. Her heart pounded. She held her breath and waited for the encroaching shaft of darkness, but nothing came.
    Perhaps she’d had it wrong. Perhaps the therapist had been correct. Remembering was healing. It was the denial which wasn’t. Yet judging from her father’s reaction to her presence, perhaps he, too, found the memories painful.
    Something they had in common after all.
    Caroline rested her hand on Max’s tousled hair. “After you finish in the kitchen, maybe you and I could go out on the porch. I know a thing or two about science. We could build the catapult to beat all catapults if you’d like.”
    Max grinned. “Cool.” He pivoted toward Amelia. “Can I, Mimi? Before bedtime?”
    Amelia nodded. “For a little while, but it’s a church day tomorrow. Bright and early.” She faced Caroline. “I hope you’ll join the family there.”
    Braeden held out his hand for Max. They departed to assist Honey and Sawyer prepping for tomorrow’s guest breakfast.
    Caroline hugged the baby. She’d hoped to avoid the Kiptohanock church. Last time she’d been there had been for her mother’s funeral.
    â€œI wanted to also apologize for not being there when Lindi d-died.” Caroline steadied her wobbling tone. “I was the next oldest. It should’ve been me who took care of Max and Dad and Honey. Not you. You gave up art school for them.”
    Caroline tensed, expecting to find condemnation in Amelia’s eyes. But only compassion rippled across her sister’s features. Amelia feathered a stray curl behind her baby’s tiny ear.
    Patrick smiled at his mom, but lay content in Caroline’s arms.
    â€œMax is my son as surely as Patrick. God has a way of working things out.” A smile played across Amelia’s lips. “Sometimes in the giving up of what we think we need, along the way we discover what we want the most.”
    Caroline stared