Free Second Chances: A PAVAD Duet by Calle J. Brookes Page B

words trailed off as
her brows rose. Dan followed her gaze. His eldest stood holding a
tiny elf of a girl―with bright strawberry blond hair. But what
surprised a laugh out of him was the grape-purple streaks running
through the child’s curls.
    “ Doc, does your daughter
always have purple hair?” he asked.
    “ God, no.” The doc laughed.
“It must be contagious.”
    They shared a smile then
stepped outside together―to greet their purple-haired
daughters.
     

Chapter
24

    Dan didn’t know how it
happened, but by the time he’d gotten his mind around all the
changes that had suddenly taken place, his house was full of
people. Not only were his daughters―his daughters, for
crissakes―milling around with wary expressions on their pretty
faces, but the little doc and her kids, Dr. Glendower and her kids,
and even Dennis and little Mattie were waiting on Josh and J.T. to
finish up on the grill.
    The kids didn’t even seem
to realize something earth-shattering had just happened―at least to
Dan. The little doc stayed right by Dan’s side almost
unconsciously. At least when her children weren’t pulling her
away.
    They were good kids, polite
and articulate. Even the little girl, who he’d guess to be barely
four. She spoke clearly, no lisping. She was also quite the little
flirt. Dan had already held her―she’d come right to him from her
mother’s arms with a chirpy hi. Probably because he’d been
introduced as Aunt Kelly’s daddy.
    The boy was a little slower
to warm up. He was small for his age, Dan figured, but still taller
than his best friend Ted Glendower. He was skinny and had the look
of his mother, though his hair was a darker reddish blond. He eyed
Dan and all the other men suspiciously, especially when they spoke
with his mother. Protective. Of his mother and sister, and even
Kelly. He alternated between staying by his mother or Kelly’s sides
and running around with the rest of the boys and his little
sister.
    He eyed Dan warily every
time they got near to each other.
    Dan put thoughts of the boy
aside when J.T. and Josh announced the hotdogs and hamburgers were
ready.
    As everyone ate, Dennis
pulled Dan aside. “What’s going to happen next?”
    Dan shot an eye over to
where his three girls sat talking to the two docs. “We move on. I
deal with their mother, somehow, and take it day by day. That’s
what the little doc said.”
    “ Yes. And good luck.
Teenage girls and single fathers―even under the better of
circumstances―it’s not always easy.”
    “ I don’t know my children.”
Dan kept his voice low. “How can I deal with that without causing
them more harm than good?”
    “ Do the best you can.”
Dennis paused a moment as his grandson ran up, followed closely by
the youngest Glendower boy. The kid had the look of his mother, all
dark hair and big bright eyes. Dennis patiently examined the frog
the boys had caught then reminded them to let the creature go when
they were done playing with it so it could return to its family
before he turned back to Dan. “You need anything―a good lawyer,
anything―call me.”
    Dan knew Dennis―like the
majority of older agents―possessed a law degree. So did Dan. “I
will.”
    “ Good, in the meantime, let
me clear out this crowd, and you get your kids settled.”
    In less time than Dan would
have thought possible the other man had accomplished just that,
ushering first J.T. and Josh, and then rounding up the Glendower
family. Then the Dennises were gone and it was just Dan, his girls,
and the doc and her two kids.
    Dan walked the Brewsters to
the door, thanked the little doc for her help, impulsively dropping
a kiss on her cheek, then closed the door.
    He turned back toward his
daughters and swallowed.
    Kelly was cleaning his
kitchen, gathering all the silverware and putting it in the sink.
She moved quick, jittery and avoiding his eyes. Emma was sitting
deceptively still, eyes wary. Gracie was tired, nerves on her
pretty face.
    “