Free Her Texas Family by Jill Lynn

honor that raised money for cystic fibrosis research. One that always reminded Graham that he’d failed his wife. He knew it was for the best of causes, yet he’d never been able to help his in-laws with it when they asked. He attended only one charity function per year, and even that was a push.
    The Wellings didn’t understand why he wouldn’t be a part of something that honored Brooke, why he wouldn’t accept a position on the board. It had been the one point of contention between them. Until today. Now he could add Lucy to the list. Though that thought was absolutely absurd.
    They said goodbyes, and Graham fought the annoyance churning in his gut.
    Why did he feel so frustrated? The Wellings had only questioned him about dating—something he didn’t have any interest in. So why did their interference bother him so much?
    Graham slid back into the booth and Mattie put the phone down on the table.
    â€œWhat was that about, Daddy?”
    â€œHow much did you hear?”
    â€œJust Grandpa and Grandma asking if you were dating Ms. Lucy.” Mattie munched on a chip, studying him with those inquisitive little eyes. “Are you ever going to marry someone, Dad?”
    Graham had just taken a bite, and it lodged in his throat. He coughed, then took a drink of water. “I loved your mom so much, I really can’t imagine that, honey. She was my best friend.”
    â€œLike me and Carissa?”
    The image of Mattie and her best friend, Carissa, playing together made him smile. “Something like that.”
    â€œOnly you kissed Mommy.”
    Good thing he hadn’t taken another bite. He reached for his water again. “Right. When you’re married, you get to kiss your spouse.”
    That seemed to satisfy her. Mattie went back to eating and playing her game, and Graham sorted through the day’s events. Compared to their normal, peaceful existence, today had been rather crazy. And it wasn’t even noon.
    It seemed Lucy had that effect on their life.
    The way she’d looked at the office this morning when she’d been ornery with him came flooding back. She did this thing when she was upset, though he doubted she realized it. She pressed her lips together, almost as if she was stemming whatever she really wanted to say from coming out. From what he’d learned about her, his assumption probably wasn’t far off.
    â€œAre you thinking about Mommy?”
    Graham stole a chip off of Mattie’s plate. “Why?”
    â€œâ€™Cause you’re smiling.”
    â€œI was?”
    Mattie nodded. Graham swallowed. “If I was smiling, then I was definitely thinking about Mommy.”
    At least, he should have been.

Chapter Six
    I t had been a week since the encounter between Graham, his in-laws and Lucy, and that freezer he’d walked into still hadn’t fully thawed. It had warmed to refrigerator temps, but that was about it.
    At work this week, he and Lucy had functioned around each other. Please and thank-yous had abounded. Graham had never thought politeness could kill him, but he was close to changing his opinion.
    He’d dropped Mattie off at dance this morning—to Lucy and Mattie’s delight—and Lucy was planning to drive her home after. He’d tried to refuse Lucy’s offer, not wanting to add any more taking care of his daughter into her free weekend time. But the look she shot him had wilted his resistance.
    Graham had let her win that battle. But when she got here, he planned to fix this thing between them. They had to keep working together, and he didn’t want Lucy stuck in this place she’d been in all week. He kind of...missed the Lucy he’d first met. The one who did whatever she wanted—like taking Mattie to dance—and bulldozed her way through life.
    Though that Lucy drove him a little crazy, seeing how she’d been acting this week threw him. He—or his in-laws—had obviously