Read Online Sweet Surprise by Candis Terry - Free Book Online

overprotective mom, but Izzy meant more to her than taking her next breath. Though tornadoes and other Mother Nature types of disasters were rare in the Hill Country, there were numerous other kid-type catastrophes lurking in the dark. Like the snapped wrists Fiona had received in the first grade after racing a friend to a brick wall behind the school, then plowing into it hands and nose first. Kids were clumsy. Knowing she could get to Izzy fast in any situation eased the worries just a little.
    Inside Little Britches—aka Andi’s clean and tidy house—Fiona was escorted amid friendly chatter back to the playroom, where Izzy and two other little girls her age were busy playing tea party. All wore plastic tiaras and glittery tutus. The cheeky grin on her daughter’s face assured Fiona she was having a blast.
    “Mommy!” Izzy set down the polka-dotted teapot and ran into her arms. “See my new friends.”
    Fiona swept her hand over Izzy’s blond curls and kissed her forehead before Izzy hauled her over to the table. Within seconds, Fiona had three little girls excitedly telling her about the day care’s pet rabbit, Hoppy, which immediately launched Izzy into asking for a dog.
    Again.
    How the two animals were related, Fiona wasn’t sure. But Izzy loved dogs, and in the Wilder family, there were plenty. Her little girl adored Jackson and Abby’s dog and cat Liberty and Miss Kitty, as well as her Uncle Reno and Aunt Charli’s dogs Bear and Pumpkin. Uncle Jesse’s cat Rango wasn’t the friendliest whisker-wearer, but his black Lab, Dinks, gave Izzy her favorite slobbery kisses. And when she could manage to catch her Aunt Allison’s quick-pawed pup Wee Man for a snuggle, her giggles of joy were endless.
    Fiona had promised they’d talk about getting a dog once they moved into the new place. Aside from the added chores of a piddling pup or poop patrol, Fiona really wanted to provide her daughter with her heart’s desire. The issue was finding the time to make it happen.
    Andi had been kind enough to fix an extra PB&J for Fiona, and when they all sat down at the lunch table, any lingering concerns Fiona might have had about day care completely vanished. Izzy was in capable and loving hands. Around her, the six children chattered happily like cartoon mice. And it was clear they all adored their caretaker.
    “Izzy’s dad stopped by to give her a hug a little while after you dropped her off this morning,” Andi said in a low voice. “He had such glowing things to say about you, it was hard to believe you and he are . . .”
    A laugh bubbled up past the peanut butter stuck in Fiona’s throat. Andi wasn’t the first to be surprised at how well she and Jackson got along postdivorce. “We’re very good friends. And I’m very close with the woman he’s about to marry.”
    “Really?” Andi’s dark brows arched. “How does that happen?”
    “They’re good people.” Fiona sipped her milk. “I’m guessing you don’t have that same luck?”
    Andi shook her head. “Wish I did, though. It would be so much easier.”
    “I guess it’s never really easy.” Fiona knew she was fortunate to have the relationship she did with Jackson and Abby. But that didn’t make all her regrets disappear like sunshine on a rainy day.
    “I don’t like to talk poorly about my ex in front of Callie,” Andi said of her own daughter, who currently held court at the throne of the four-year-olds, “But he’d never even begin to take Callie’s best interest in mind instead of his own. So getting along is a total fantasy.”
    “I’m very sorry about that. It does take two for it to work.”
    “Right.” Andi nodded. “Thus our divorce.”
    The subject was dropped, and for the remainder of the time, Fiona counted her blessings and focused on Izzy. When her visit came to an end, Fiona tucked Izzy in on the nap cot with her fuzzy butterfly blanket, kissed her forehead, then waited until she fell asleep.
    On her way out the