Free Second Chance at Love (Love Conquers All) by Victoria Wells Page B

Christmas?”
     
    “We sure are. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
     
    “Good. I know Starr and Kevin are looking forward to you staying with them.” Patrick chuckled and Karen joined right in with him. The first year Patrick and Donna came back to Philly to stay, the sisters went back and forth about who their mother and new stepfather would stay with during the holidays. They had settled on sharing them. This year Karen suggested Donna and Patrick stay with Kevin and Starr so they could help out with the triplets. Grateful for the suggestion, Starr offered to have Ashley and Kyle spend a few nights at their place so they’d get to enjoy their grandparents’ company. If they could squeeze it in, Donna and Patrick would stay a night or two with Karen.
     
    “I think it’s just so crazy cool the way you girls fight over having us stay with you. I know it makes your momma feel good.”
     
    “What makes me feel good? And who are you talking to?” Karen could hear her mother asking in the background.
     
    “Lil’ Sugar is on the phone. I was just telling her how much you enjoy having the girls fight over who we’re going to stay with when we go to Philly.”
     
    The melodious laughter coming from her mother made Karen smile. Her mother had been depressed for years. Moving away to a small rural town in Virginia and meeting Patrick Wahl had been the best thing to happen to Donna in a very long time. And for that Karen was extremely happy.
     
    “I’ll talk to you later lil’ sugar. Here’s your momma.”
     
    “Hey, baby, how are you?”
     
    “I’m fine Mommy. I just need to talk to you about something.”
     
    Karen had toyed with the idea of talking to her mother all day. It seemed as if everything was going so fast since the wedding, but in all actuality it had been less than two weeks. In those two weeks she had admitted to Dom she was totally feeling him, had him over for dinner, had been to his parents’ home for dinner, and ruined their lunch date by almost beating his ex-girlfriend down.
     
    Dating was so foreign to her. She hadn’t dated since high school. And she was scared out of her mind about the possibility of stepping out into the world of dating. The nagging feeling of things not working out between her and Dom still troubled her. What would she do if the kids got super attached to Dom and things went sour real fast? And God forbid, what would she do if she had any more run-ins with Dom’s ex? Although she had these nagging thoughts she desperately wanted to give her and Dom a chance.
     
    What she needed most was to talk to someone who could give her guidance as to what to do about her growing feelings for Dom. Sure men had come on to her, had asked her out on dates, but none of them had ever gotten as close as Dom had. Even though she was excited and exhilarated at the mere thought of being Dom’s woman, it scared her to death.
     
    “Sounds pretty serious,” Donna commented as she pulled a chair back from the kitchen table and took a seat. She smiled up at Patrick as he gave her a tender kiss on the forehead, leaving the room to give mother and daughter privacy.
     
    Karen let out a deep sigh. “Mommy, when did you know Poppa Patrick was the one?
     
    “Ah, it is serious. I think we need to discuss this over ice cream. You got any over there?”
     
    Chuckling, Karen said, “I sure do.”
     
    “Good. Get yourself a nice big bowl and I’m going to do the same.”
     
    Each woman went to her fridge to prepare her treat as Donna talked.
     
    “Well, that’s really hard to say because I gave that man a hard way to go. I did everything I knew to do to keep him away from me. The poor man would knock on my door with flowers, rake the leaves in my yard, offer to take me to dinner and I was so cold to him.”
     
    “Aw, Mommy that’s such a shame,” Karen said, feeling sorry for Patrick.
     
    Donna sucked her teeth. “Don’t go feeling sorry for your stepfather. The man had