Free The Firefighter Daddy by Margaret Daley

hadn’t gone out on a date, even when Brandon had tried to fix him up on a blind date. He’d had too much to deal with, and he hoped to return to Dallas with his nieces in six months.
    â€œGood night. The dinner was great.” She descended the stairs to the sidewalk.
    He watched her until she disappeared from his view. If he dated here in Buffalo, it wouldn’t be Sarah. Although he was attracted to her, she wanted children someday. He saw it every time she was with the girls.
    That was one thing he couldn’t give a woman.

Chapter Five
    O n Tuesday, Liam slid into Brandon’s F-150 truck, their fire equipment in the back in case there was a fire they would have to respond to. Since showing up at the station that morning, Liam had wanted to pull Brandon to the side to talk to him about what was happening with Madison. He had two sons close in age and might have gone through the same problem.
    Brandon pulled out of the parking space. “You’ve been awfully quiet this morning. Something going on?”
    â€œGirl problems. Madison is fighting with Katie more and more. I thought things would settle down after a few months getting used to me as their guardian. Katie is doing pretty well. Madison’s reverted to the way she was that first month I came to Buffalo, and I don’t know why.”
    â€œHave you asked her?”
    No, he hadn’t. Why not? “I did try when I first came, and she would just clam up. According to her, everything was fine. Actually peachy was her exact word.”
    â€œPeachy? I wonder who she got that word from.”
    â€œAunt Betty, no doubt.”
    At the stoplight Brandon looked at him. “I’m not sure what works for a boy would be the same for a girl. My oldest was so angry when his mother died. I tried to talk to him, and he wouldn’t have anything to do with me. Then Nathan in the single dads’ group told me he needed to learn to release that anger. Both his kids were going through it. With his son, he got him involved in karate as an outlet for his feelings. You’ll need to ask Nathan what he did for his daughter because, as you know, they don’t think like us. Give him a call.”
    Liam chuckled. “That’s for sure. I’ll call him before World War III erupts in my house.”
    â€œUsually my sons get along, but for a while after Mary Ann died, they were at each other’s throats. Each wanted my undivided attention without the other around.”
    That could be the case. He seemed to do more with Katie because she asked. What if Madison was jealous or upset that she wasn’t getting equal time? “So what did you do?”
    â€œEach week I plan something special for each one. I make arrangements for the other to stay with a friend or family member.”
    â€œI can’t ask Aunt Betty to babysit any more than she already does.”
    â€œGo the friend route, then, or I know a good babysitter on my block that you could use.” Brandon drove into the parking lot at the side of the Redbud Cafeteria. “Let me know, and I’ll give you her number. She’s sixteen and very reliable.”
    â€œThanks. This gives me something to try.” Liam climbed from the truck and headed for the restaurant entrance. “How long are these meetings?”
    â€œIt’ll depend. Since this is the first one, it could go on for a long time if we can’t decide what our fund-raiser is gonna be. This is my third year. The first year we had a three-hour lunch full of arguments. But once we have a plan, things start to move fast.”
    After Liam followed Brandon through the cafeteria line and selected his lunch, they made their way to a back room where the meeting would be held. Half the seats had been taken. Liam scanned the faces and saw the Buffalo Community Church’s pastor sitting there next to Sarah.
    She ’ s on the committee? She didn ’ t say anything to me about it .