AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mary sets her mug down and moves in beside me. She starts to zest the lemon I pulled out. “I’ve always felt the same way. Though sometimes I do get tired of doing it by myself. Dani never liked being in the kitchen with me.”
“Whenever I’m in town, we can plan to cook together,” I tell her, wanting to make it clear that I’m in this with Dani for the long haul.
She nods, but then she says, “To be totally honest, I wish it were just you.”
I know what she means, but I want her to spell it out clearly. “What do you mean?”
“I wish Dani was just dating you. You’re a lovely, intelligent, nurturing man, and you cook. You’re exactly who I always envisioned marrying my daughter.”
“I’m flattered. It’s a huge compliment to get your stamp of approval, and I don’t take that lightly.” I really don’t. I’m honored she thinks so highly of me already. “But—
Mary cuts me off. “I know. But. There’s always a but.” She sets down the zester and reaches for her coffee. “It’s nothing against Nathan and Crew. They’re nice men, and I appreciate how hard they’re trying. Please don’t mention what I just said. I would never want to upset them or hurt their feelings. I should have kept my thoughts to myself.”
She probably should have, but I understand where she’s coming from. “I won’t mention it.” I gesture to the refrigerator, which is sporting a Christmas tree magnet Dani made in grade school. It’s very heavy on the glitter. “You know how Dani was always making things as a kid?”
“Yes, like I said last night, she loved to craft, to sew, and to write her little stories. Only she’d never let me read them. She was very creative.”
“She still is. She still writes stories. Romances, love stories.”
“She does?” Mary looks startled but pleased. “I wonder why she didn’t tell me?”
“Because they’re love stories that you might not understand.”
“Oh.” She frowns. “I don’t like to think she can’t share her creativity with me.”
“Dani is very romantic, and her writing reflects that. Why wouldn’t she be, right? She sees her parents share a loving, long-lasting marriage, and she’s always felt incredibly loved and wanted by the both of you. I think that she was always searching for a love that’s big enough to fill that need. To be all-consuming and powerful, and permanent. Instead, she’s focused on her writing because she hasn’t found one man who could give her all of that.”
Mary nods and gives me a knowing smile. “So maybe she needed three men? Is that what you’re telling me?”
“Maybe she needed three men.” I take a swallow of my own coffee. “Just food for thought.”
Mary definitely seems to be thinking about my words. We fall into a comfortable silence that is almost immediately interrupted.
“My fucking head is killing me,” Kevin says, stumbling into the kitchen. He bends over the sink and drinks straight from the tap, reminding me a lot of Crew. This is the first time I’ve heard him swear. I think Nathan’s bourbon is the gift that keeps on giving.
“Kevin, good Lord!” Mary says. “Get a glass!”
He stands up and wipes his mouth on his pajama sleeve. “My mouth tastes like I gargled with muddy rocks.” He meets my gaze. “Good morning. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas. Coffee?”
He nods. “Thank you.” He eyes my mixing bowl. “What’s this?”
“Pancakes. Plus, I found some bacon in the fridge I was going to fry.”
Kevin claps me on the shoulder. “You’re a good man. Even if you went to Purdue.”
That makes me laugh. Kevin went to Indiana, our biggest rival. “I am a Boilermaker for life.”
I hand him a coffee mug. I don’t even ask if he wants cream and sugar. He strikes me as a man who thinks lattes are a waste of good coffee beans.
He takes it and swallows half the mug. Then he nods in approval. “That will put hair on your chest. Perfect brew, Doc. If I can call you Doc.”
“Absolutely. That’s what friends and family call me.”
Dani has just come in the back door, cheeks pink from the cold, wearing her sweats and slippers. Hearing my words, she pulls the door shut behind her, steps right up to me, and kisses me softly on the lips, breaking her father’s no-PDA rule.
To my surprise, neither of her parents say a word of protest, and when Crew comes in behind Dani, Mary goes right up to him and gives him a big hug.
