The next morning, for once, Mason was awake before the girls wailed for room service. In the short time he’d been with them, he’d already seen developmental changes. At nineteen weeks, they were all about exploration, and when he entered their room, Vivian was studying a stuffed frog that shared ...
“No. Why?” “I’m warm.” She removed the hat and gloves the blustery day’s temperature had called for, set them on the nearby kitchen table then picked up Quinn. “Did you have fun exploring?” “Gaa! Baa!” “Well, that sounds interesting,” she teased. “How was your daughter?” Calder asked. “Wonderful....
“Th-thanks for bringing him home,” Daisy said to a brunette soccer-mom type and a kid. Luke froze. Home? Since when did Daisy have a kid? “Mom,” the boy mumbled, hugging her waist, “I threw up at practice.” “I’m sorry.” Skimming her hand over his head with a tenderness she’d never had for Luke, D...
She gladly stepped into Jasper’s outstretched arms, but then realized hiding wouldn’t make the bad guys go away—or rescue Dane. “Give me my gun!” she shouted over the chopper’s roar. “You don’t know how to shoot!” “No time like the present to learn! We have to save him!” Jasper dropped the gear t...
Olivia asked Tag Sunday afternoon, holding out a spoonful of baked beans. His parents, along with her aunt and uncle, were due any minute for supper. Though Easter was still nearly a month away, she’d baked a ham and Tag had helped her make all the trimmings. Candied yams, homemade potato salad a...
Nash had moved her from the hotel to a safe house, and had even brought both of their mothers along for the ride. He’d told her they were there to help with the baby and keep her company, but she knew better. He was afraid Vicente might use one of them as a bargaining chip to get his hands on her...
the town librarian whispered to Garrett, “but we’re closing early today for our Christmas party. You and Ms. Barnesworth will have to go.” “Sure. I understand.” For the past three hours, he and Eve had searched computer archives of neighboring towns’ birth announcements. A...
And if I was honest with myself, from the day my mother told me Garrett was being released and would soon begin his court-assigned job as a groundskeeper at Julep’s Swan Park, I’d started taking my lunch there not because of its close proximity to my clinic, but for a chance to see the man who’d ...
Mabel held up the stranger’s ID to check it with her reading glasses. “Why does that name sound familiar?” “Is he a neighbor?” They’d finished lunch, and while Mabel fed Cassidy her baby food pears, Effie cleared the kitchen table. “I mean, think about it. I found him on h...
Dallas said late Christmas night, walking Josie to her front door, “this was a nice day. Good food. Good company—” he gave her a friendly hug “—doesn’t get better than this.” “True.” Inserting her key in the front door, she said, “I usually spend Christmas with Natalie and her family. They’re alw...
Though she’d been worried about John and Helen thinking it odd that Deacon wanted to join them, they’d been gracious, adopting a more-the-merrier attitude. “Help me with a refill?” Deacon held out his black plastic goblet. “Sure,” Ellie said over bl...
“Honey, he didn’t mean it. You’re going to have the best volcano your school’s ever seen.” “I’ll help, Lee.” Sweet-tempered J.J. cozied up to his sister’s other side. Since their father died, both kids had grown infinitely more sensitive. Millie knew one of these days she’d need to toughen them t...