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Just as his mom had done nothing wrong. She’d been young and scared and had handled the crisis the best she could. Daniel was the one who’d turned their love story into one of perfection instead of something real.
At last, he’d learned that real was so much better.
Real was loving Tasha. Real was helping her through this difficult reunion, helping her deal with her past. Helping her find forgiveness for both herself and her family.
With rush hour over, they made it to Matt’s house in an hour and a half. In the backseat of the truck, the puppies fell asleep to the thrum of the tires on the highway. Daniel held Tasha’s hand the whole way, offering her comfort, even as he made several phone calls, arranging for his private plane to meet them, for a car and hotel in LA, and to let Matt know his plans.
Tasha’s eyes widened as they pulled into Matt’s driveway, the gates standing open for them. It was like something out of a plantation in the Old South. Except that instead of a stable, the
re was a six-car garage.
The front door blew open before they’d had time to climb out of the truck. The whirlwind that flew down the front steps was Noah.
“Uncle Daniel!” Matt’s son ran with his arms held wide, and Daniel scooped up the little boy, hugging him tight.
“Hey, bud. You’re bigger every time I see you.” He was six now and would be entering first grade in the fall.
Noah squirmed in his arms. “Can I see the puppies? Please, please, please, can I, can I?”
His smile spreading, Daniel opened the back door and let Noah climb inside. The child fell silent, in awe of the puppies that he would be taking care of for a few days.
Hand in hand, Matt and Ari followed Noah at a more sedate pace. “Thanks for helping out,” Daniel said as he gave Ari a hug.
She was sweet and caring and absolutely right for Matt and Noah. Matt and his son were a package deal, and Ari had fallen hard for both of them. As hard as they’d fallen for her. Daniel couldn’t say he’d ever seen a more loving mother, except his own.
As Tasha rounded the hood of his truck, he said, “Tasha, this is Ari.”
She went to shake Ari’s hand, but the other woman hugged her instead. “It’s so nice to meet you, Ari. Matt was so helpful at my cabin.” She smiled shyly at him. “I really appreciate everything you did.” Though she seemed a little nervous, she hugged him too.
“Believe me,” Ari said, “he was delighted to dig into some hard physical labor. All the guys were.” She turned, tucking Tasha’s arm in hers. “I’m so sorry about your dad’s illness. If you can spare five minutes, I’m putting together some things in the kitchen for you to take with you if you get hungry later. We all know how bad hospital food is.”
After Tasha nodded and said that would be great, they headed inside, leaving Daniel and Matt with Noah and the puppies.
“Are you sure Ari’s okay with taking care of three puppies?” Daniel asked.
“Are you kidding? She wanted to dash out here with Noah.”
Going to retrieve the puppies, they found Noah seated on the floorboards, fingers clutched in the bars, his face plastered to the crate hard enough to put lines on his cheeks. Daniel unhooked the seat belt he’d laced through the bars of the crate to keep it stable, pulled it out, then carried it up the steps, Noah scurrying alongside.
“They’re pretty much housebroken,” he told Matt once they were inside the foyer, “as long as you let them sleep in their crate and remember to take them outside every couple of hours. But they make it through the whole night.”
“Which one is mine, Uncle Daniel?” Noah asked. “Can I hold him?”
“It’s this little guy here.” He didn’t give a name, because Noah would need to pick his own for the puppy.
Of course, once Daniel opened the crate, all three rushed out, running around maniacally after having been cooped up and sleeping for so long. Noah joined the melee, happily chasing them.
* * *
Tasha had felt lightheaded since Drew’s call, her heart beating wildly with fear and dread. She couldn’t believe her father might actually die. He’d always been larger than life. Impervious to the colds and broken bones that had felled lesser men.
The only thing that had gotten her through was Daniel’s hand wrapped around hers as he drove. His warmth had flowed into her, calmed her, wore down the sharp edges of fear.
Now bright, sweet, kind Ari was taking over, pulling Tasha along into the kitchen where she was putting together the fixings for what looked like a feast to take on the plane.
“Here,” Ari said, handing her a glass of Chardonnay. “I know it’s the middle of the day, but sometimes gulping a glass of wine is exactly what we need to take the edge off.”
Grateful beyond measure, Tasha did just as she suggested, and warmth immediately flowed through her veins. “You have a lovely home.”
