Read Online When Mom Meets Dad by Karen Rose Smith - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Rose Smith
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icky."
After Amanda took the thermometer from Alex's hand, she saw the reading. When she looked up at him, she said, "It's probably just a twenty-four hour bug."
"That's what my common sense is telling me, but the other part of me wants to take her to the emergency room."
"Aw, Daddy, not the hospital. Please."
Amanda patted Kristy's leg. "Why don't we get you some soda to sip on?" Her gaze met Alex's. "If she doesn't feel better in a couple of hours, you can always take her to the emergency room then."
From the doorway Terry said, "Mr. Woodsides, if you don't need me anymore, I'm going to drive home."
Alex took out his wallet and went into the hall. He paid and thanked Terry for coming to watch Kristy, then said to Amanda, "If you don't mind staying with her for a few minutes, I'll go get some soda and ice."
Amanda smiled at him. "I don't mind."
After seeing Terry out and making sure she was safely on her way, Alex found decaffeinated soda, poured it over ice and took it upstairs to his daughter. But in the hallway, he stopped. Amanda had moved and was sitting beside Kristy. They were both propped against the pillows. She'd opened a book and was reading in a low voice. Kristy looked so content cuddled up beside her that Alex's heart ached. Did she need a woman's touch more than he thought? Did she need a mother? He knew he was a good parent, but was he enough? Especially when it came to seeing her through the turbulent teen years. With his mother's help, they'd always managed, but maybe managing wasn't enough.
When he handed Kristy the soda, she took a tentative sip. "Think you can keep down some acetaminophen?" He wanted to lower that fever.
"Maybe with a cracker?" Amanda suggested.
He should have thought of that.
"I can try," Kristy answered. "I didn't throw up or anything. I just felt like I had to."
Amanda's gentle smile comforted Alex. "If you can't keep them down, we can try a warm bath. That can get your fever down, too."
"Does that really work?" He'd never tried it.
"When all else fails," she answered.
He was glad Amanda was here, and yet felt uncomfortable about being comfortable with it. It didn't make much sense. He supposed it had to do with not easily depending on anyone...or trusting anyone, especially with Kristy. His mother was the exception, though when he had made the decision to keep Kristy, even she had thought he was crazy. But he'd known he could never give up his child.
After managing to take a pill and eat a cracker without incident, Kristy's eyes grew heavy-lidded, and she leaned against Amanda's shoulder. "Can you stay for a little bit?" she asked sleepily.
"Amanda has to get home to Heather," Alex told his daughter gently.
"I'm sure Heather wouldn't mind," Kristy argued. "Please. Just a little while?"
Bringing her gaze to Alex's, searching for his reaction, Amanda waited a few moments. But he couldn't tell her he wanted her to stay as much as he wanted her to go. Confusing as all hell!
Apparently deciding on her own, she turned back to his daughter and said, "I'm sure Heather wouldn't mind. Why don't we finish this story, and then I'll tuck you in? Your dad can take over from there. Okay?"
Kristy nodded.
Alex tugged off his tie and shrugged out of his suit coat, laying both across the corner of Kristy's bed. Then he sat on her bedroom chair, propped his legs up on the bed, and listened to Amanda's soothing voice as she read Kristy one of her favorite stories. He didn't read to his daughter aloud much anymore. He wasn't sure exactly when he'd stopped. But apparently Kristy wasn't growing up as quickly as he thought. Sometimes she acted so far beyond her years, and others she seemed like a four-year-old again, needing his hugs. He hoped she always needed hugs.
As Amanda had suggested, she finished the story, then tucked his daughter in, pulling the sheet up to Kristy's chin. Alex took his
After Amanda took the thermometer from Alex's hand, she saw the reading. When she looked up at him, she said, "It's probably just a twenty-four hour bug."
"That's what my common sense is telling me, but the other part of me wants to take her to the emergency room."
"Aw, Daddy, not the hospital. Please."
Amanda patted Kristy's leg. "Why don't we get you some soda to sip on?" Her gaze met Alex's. "If she doesn't feel better in a couple of hours, you can always take her to the emergency room then."
From the doorway Terry said, "Mr. Woodsides, if you don't need me anymore, I'm going to drive home."
Alex took out his wallet and went into the hall. He paid and thanked Terry for coming to watch Kristy, then said to Amanda, "If you don't mind staying with her for a few minutes, I'll go get some soda and ice."
Amanda smiled at him. "I don't mind."
After seeing Terry out and making sure she was safely on her way, Alex found decaffeinated soda, poured it over ice and took it upstairs to his daughter. But in the hallway, he stopped. Amanda had moved and was sitting beside Kristy. They were both propped against the pillows. She'd opened a book and was reading in a low voice. Kristy looked so content cuddled up beside her that Alex's heart ached. Did she need a woman's touch more than he thought? Did she need a mother? He knew he was a good parent, but was he enough? Especially when it came to seeing her through the turbulent teen years. With his mother's help, they'd always managed, but maybe managing wasn't enough.
When he handed Kristy the soda, she took a tentative sip. "Think you can keep down some acetaminophen?" He wanted to lower that fever.
"Maybe with a cracker?" Amanda suggested.
He should have thought of that.
"I can try," Kristy answered. "I didn't throw up or anything. I just felt like I had to."
Amanda's gentle smile comforted Alex. "If you can't keep them down, we can try a warm bath. That can get your fever down, too."
"Does that really work?" He'd never tried it.
"When all else fails," she answered.
He was glad Amanda was here, and yet felt uncomfortable about being comfortable with it. It didn't make much sense. He supposed it had to do with not easily depending on anyone...or trusting anyone, especially with Kristy. His mother was the exception, though when he had made the decision to keep Kristy, even she had thought he was crazy. But he'd known he could never give up his child.
After managing to take a pill and eat a cracker without incident, Kristy's eyes grew heavy-lidded, and she leaned against Amanda's shoulder. "Can you stay for a little bit?" she asked sleepily.
"Amanda has to get home to Heather," Alex told his daughter gently.
"I'm sure Heather wouldn't mind," Kristy argued. "Please. Just a little while?"
Bringing her gaze to Alex's, searching for his reaction, Amanda waited a few moments. But he couldn't tell her he wanted her to stay as much as he wanted her to go. Confusing as all hell!
Apparently deciding on her own, she turned back to his daughter and said, "I'm sure Heather wouldn't mind. Why don't we finish this story, and then I'll tuck you in? Your dad can take over from there. Okay?"
Kristy nodded.
Alex tugged off his tie and shrugged out of his suit coat, laying both across the corner of Kristy's bed. Then he sat on her bedroom chair, propped his legs up on the bed, and listened to Amanda's soothing voice as she read Kristy one of her favorite stories. He didn't read to his daughter aloud much anymore. He wasn't sure exactly when he'd stopped. But apparently Kristy wasn't growing up as quickly as he thought. Sometimes she acted so far beyond her years, and others she seemed like a four-year-old again, needing his hugs. He hoped she always needed hugs.
As Amanda had suggested, she finished the story, then tucked his daughter in, pulling the sheet up to Kristy's chin. Alex took his
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