Free Jarod's Heart (King Brothers Stories #2) by Elise Manion

side to side in amazement. She gave Lauren a little squeeze and said, “I can’t believe it, Lauren. I just can’t believe it! Where did this little angel come from?”
    “Jarod walked into the kitchen with her in his arms.” She met her best friend’s eyes. “You should’ve seen the look on his face when he announced to everyone that she was his daughter. He was so proud, Julie…and really pissed.”
    “I bet. This little girl certainly is a mixed blessing. What happened to Miranda?”
    Lauren quickly explained the circumstances. “He hasn’t said anything, but I have a feeling that there’s going to be a criminal investigation.” Lauren had worked with the sheriff’s department long enough to know that something didn’t add up with the car accident. She’d bet money that Miranda had been entangled in something terrible, and poor Jessica was probably going to be caught up in the middle.
    “I just thank God for bringing Jessica to us and getting her out of that life.” Lauren hadn’t meant to say it out loud.
    Julie hugged her again and whispered, “Amen.”
    “I second that,” Camille said, as she and Charlie approached.
    The women smiled at each other and continued to watch as Jessica fed the old mare the rest of the apple that her “hunkle” Josh had handed to her. He spoke quietly with her, and eventually picked her up in his arms so that she could pet the horse’s mane above the stall rail.
    Lauren shared a smile with Julie, who rolled her eyes. “That man has a way with the ladies, that’s the God’s honest truth.”
    In his typical fashion, Josh had won over the newest female in the room, and Lauren adored him for it. When he finally settled down with his own family, he would be an excellent husband and, by the looks of it, a natural at fatherhood. Lauren grinned wickedly to herself, wishing lots of little girls on Josh, payback for all the womanizing he’d done in his young life.
    It was funny that all of the adults, even Charlie, had gathered around this one small child, watching her every move and smiling at everything she said and did. Lauren wondered how it would be with a baby.
    Quickly blocking that picture out of her mind, she turned to retrieve the forgotten blanket on the ground. She didn’t want Jessica to miss it later if she needed it. It seemed to be the only item of comfort she’d been allowed to bring with her.

    JAROD ALLOWED HIMSELF to smile as Josh established his “hunkle” relationship with Jessica. Under normal circumstances, it would have annoyed him that his little brother so easily attracted the prettiest girl in the room, but there was nothing normal about this situation.
    He’d feared a possible rejection from his family, but he should have known better. He’d come from people who valued family, helped the helpless, and believed that children were a treasure. The only proof he had that Jessica was really his was a birth certificate that belonged to a dead meth addict and the color of her eyes. But his family had accepted her, anyway.
    Should I have genetic testing done? Jarod wondered. Jason had asked him if he trusted that Jessica was biologically his daughter. Admittedly, he’d had his own doubts.
    He watched his family interact with Jessica and saw only protectiveness and caring. He knew she’d been through hell in her short life. Why confuse her any more than she already was right now? Did it matter whose DNA was in her body? He already felt instinctively drawn to her, and he wanted her safe and happy. The thought of Jessica ending up in a situation like the Decatur boy turned his stomach. And, legally, she was his. Again, he looked around at his family and knew that she would find love here. His family had a way with taking in strays. Julie and Charlie were proof of that. Hell, as far as his parents were concerned, even Lauren was part of their family. She’d been accepted almost immediately after Josh had introduced her to their mom when they were