The Soldier's Sweetheart. Deb Kastner

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      “Folks, this is my daughter, Genevieve.”

      Genevieve immediately slid behind him, clutching at his legs and peering out at the unfamiliar people from behind his right knee. He crouched and picked her up in his arms. “Say hi to the nice folks.”

      “Hi.” Genevieve said the word because her daddy had asked her to, but she didn’t sound convinced that she should be speaking to strangers.

      “May your daughter have a lollipop?” Samantha asked, coming out from behind the counter. He turned and met her gaze. Was this a trick question? Was he supposed to decline and ask for an apple instead? What would a good father do in this situation?

      “I—uh,” he floundered.

      “She’s not allergic, is she?”

      “No. I mean, I don’t think so.” How was he supposed to keep his daughter safe if he didn’t know vital things about her? He could accidentally put her in jeopardy without ever realizing he was doing so.

      “Then perhaps just this once, since it’s such a special occasion.”

      Will nodded, relief flooding through him. It was as if Samantha had somehow guessed that he hadn’t known how to answer her and was filling in the blanks for him. He was grateful for her assistance.

      Then again, she had put just the slightest emphasis on the words special occasion. He had the distinct feeling Samantha was a little miffed at him. It wasn’t his fault she hadn’t known he was coming. She could point that finger at her brother.

      “Hey, Genevieve,” Samantha said in a considerably sweeter, gentler tone of voice than she had used with Will. “Do you want to pick out a lollipop from the jar over there?”

      She held out her hands, and to Will’s surprise, Genevieve slid into her arms without the slightest bit of fuss. The little girl’s eyes were still wide with a mixture of curiosity and hesitation, but she allowed Samantha to carry her to the candy jar. Samantha set Genevieve on the counter and lifted the lid so she could select the flavor of her choice.

      Genevieve immediately picked purple. Grape. Will filed the information in his mind. Knowing Genevieve’s preferences might come in handy, especially if he was ever asked to choose something in his daughter’s stead—which he was beginning to realize was going come up more often than he could even imagine.

      Clothes for school. Dresses. Shoes. Hair bows. What did he know about raising a little girl?

      Nothing. Not a single thing.

      Haley would have been able to pick out a lollipop for Genevieve. For all he knew, grape had also been Haley’s favorite.

      He realized to his chagrin that he didn’t know what flavor his wife had preferred when she was alive. There were a lot of things he hadn’t taken the time to find out about Haley, and now it was too late to rectify his oversights, to make right all the many ways he’d erred as a husband.

      He cringed and squared his shoulders. Maybe it was too late to change the way things had gone down with Haley, but he could still be a good father to Genevieve, and that was exactly what he was going to do—make it up to her for the years he’d been away, and never let her feel alone or unprotected again.

      It was his one resolution in life—to make things right with his daughter.

      “You want one?” Samantha asked, holding the candy bowl out to him. “It’s on me. Free of charge.”

      Belatedly he realized he’d been staring at her and his composure nearly dropped. Only his many years of military training kept him from showing the apprehension that he felt in his gut.

      For a moment, he’d actually considered taking the candy. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d tasted a lollipop. Maybe not since early childhood. But he wasn’t a kid anymore.

      “No, but thank you for offering,” he answered after an extended pause.

      “She’s a lovely little girl,” Amanda Howell said. “Seth mentioned you’re a single father?”

      “Yes, ma’am.” Will’s throat felt scratchy and raw as he answered. “Genevieve’s mother passed away about four months back. My daughter stayed with my in-laws until my tour of duty was up, but now I’m looking to be a full-time daddy to her.”

      “We’ll help you as much as we can,” Amanda assured him. “Isn’t that right, Samantha?”

      “Hmm?” Samantha was entertaining Genevieve and clearly hadn’t heard her mother’s declaration.

      “I was just telling Will how we’d help him out with his sweet little girl,” her mother repeated. “You’re especially good with children. Genevieve has already taken to you.”

      Samantha’s blue eyes widened as she looked from her mother to Genevieve and back again. Then her gaze turned to Will. “I think my mom is referring to me teaching the preschool and kindergarten Sunday school classes at church,” she explained, shrugging one shoulder.

      Teaching preschool and kindergarten. Those were pretty good credentials, as far as Will was concerned. As long as she didn’t press Genevieve too hard on spiritual matters, she might really be the help he needed.

      If she wanted to help him. Considering the way her mother appeared to be pushing him on her, Will wasn’t so certain about that fact.

      The bell rang over the door and everyone turned at once. Two women—one with windswept brown hair and green eyes, the other with long, straight blond hair pulled back in a ponytail—whirled into the place like a couple of dervishes on a mission.

      “We came as soon as we heard,” the blond said, flicking her ponytail as she made her way straight for Will. “This must be the handsome guy you texted us about. And an ex-soldier, no less. Whew!”

      Will looked at Samantha. She’d texted her friends about him? Maybe she wasn’t as put off by his appearance as she’d first appeared to be. In any case, she was definitely embarrassed now. Her face was bright scarlet, the poor woman, at the uncomfortable spot her friend had just placed her in.

      Of course, they’d placed him in as equally tight a spot.

      “My name is Alexis Granger. Very glad to meet you,” the blonde purred, holding out a hand for him to shake. She had a firm grip, not one of those faint finger-shakes so many women were fond of. She was dusty and dressed for riding, and Will could smell what he guessed must be horses, a distinct and peculiar scent to which his nose wasn’t accustomed.

      It wasn’t bad, exactly. Just different. And it was just one of a million and one ways he’d discovered so far today how dissimilar Serendipity was from the big-city and military lifestyle he’d known in the past.

      “I’m Mary,” the brunette said with shy nod. “Welcome to Serendipity.” At least she didn’t invade his personal space, although there was no doubt that she was eyeing him appreciatively. Between Samantha’s two friends, Will was starting to feel like the candy in that jar Samantha was holding.

      “I’m William Davenport,” he said, shaking Mary’s hand. Her grip was softer than Alexis’s, more delicate. “Please call me Will.”

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