Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(56)

Ellie walked Boston around to his car and remained standing in the front yard, watching his Infiniti disappear down the street. Cassidy had drifted off long ago to look for 208

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

Keller, but Nora appeared from the yard next door, strolling Ellie's way.

When the older woman reached her, she slid her arm over Ellie's shoulder and sighed peacefully as she watched Boston's car leave as well.

"You're going to forgive him, aren't you?" Nora finally murmured.

Ellie's shoulders slumped.

Nora chuckled. "Yeah," she agreed. "I probably would too."

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209

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage





Chapter Thirteen


Thanksgiving came with a crisp breeze, chilling the air and filling Ellie with a desolation she refused to think about until after Cassie was gone.

This was going to be her first holiday totally alone.

After her parents had died, she'd always had Aunt Eadie.

Though her grandmother's sister hadn't been the ideal caregiver, she'd at least tried to give Ellie holidays. For one Thanksgiving, the elderly woman had taken her to Burger King. They'd ordered hamburgers and fries from the drive-thru and taken their feast home with them. Aunt Eadie arranged the fries sticking out the side of the bun to resemble a fanning turkey tail. She pulled a pickle out the other side to be its head. And that had been her most memorable Thanksgiving as a child.

Aunt Eadie had died when Cassie was three, so Ellie had always had at least one person to celebrate a holiday with.

Today would be her first go at it alone. She was determined to hide her angst from her excited child, though.

Cassie had already met most of Boston's family from her memorable night at Chuck E. Cheese's. Ellie was surprised she'd been able to remember everyone's name, but Cassidy had spent most of the morning recounting the names of Boston's family. The rest of time, she was busy pacing, anxious for her dad to arrive.

The girl had her nose pressed to the front window at least two hours before he was scheduled to pick her up. Every once 210

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

in a while, she'd turn back to Ellie and say something like,

"Some of Grampa Linc's family from Texas are going to be there too. I can't wait to meet them."

She wasn't the only person excited about the day though.

Boston had called at least ten times, asking about Cassie's allergies and taste preferences and confirming times. He was so worried about making the day perfect for his daughter, Ellie slipped even further under his spell.

It was twenty till eleven when he pulled into the drive.

Cassie was in the bathroom when he knocked on the door.

She'd been holding it for nearly half an hour when Ellie finally ordered her to go relieve herself.

"But what if he comes while I'm gone?"

"Honey, I seriously don't think he's going to desert you if you're not waiting by the door when he arrives."

So, Cassie streaked from the room and not thirty seconds later, there came a knock on the door. Ellie laughed.

"A watched pot never boils," she murmured to herself as she went to admit Boston inside. She was still grinning as she pulled the door open.

He looked wonderful. In pressed gray slacks and a worn polo shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, he defined sleek and sophisticated. Ellie pulled to a stop, freshly amazed that she'd dated this man once upon a time. And she hadn't just dated him, she'd actually created a child with him.

It was almost too much to believe.

"Hi," he said, his gaze warming as it slid down her body.

Then he cleared his throat and glanced over her shoulder into the room. "Is Cass ready?"

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"She just went to the bathroom," Ellie informed him and stepped aside to let him in. "I don't know how long she'd been holding it, afraid you'd show up as soon as she left the living room."

Amused by the same irony that had struck her, Boston chuckled. "Want me to go back outside and knock again in a couple minutes?"

But the bathroom door was already slamming open with Cassie charging down the hall, yelling, "Is he here?"

She appeared in the doorway and slid to a halt when she saw him. "Dad!"

Ellie's heart slammed against her chest as she watched the equal expressions of joy pass over both Boston and Cassie's faces as father and daughter came together. Boston swept Cassie up into his arms and gave her a bone-crushing hug.

"Hey there, short stuff," he said, lovingly sweeping a hand over Cassie's long hair. "You ready for some of Aunt Madison's pumpkin pie?"

"There'll be pumpkin pie?" Cassie murmured in awe.

"There'll be a little of everything," Boston answered as he set her back on her feet. "Actually, make that a lot of everything."

"Well, then let's go," the girl ordered and went charging for the door. She left it hanging open wide as she dashed down the front steps.

Boston grinned over at Ellie, his face a beaming glow of happiness. The power of it caught Ellie right in the chest, and she found herself smiling back at him.