Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Conversation flowed easily through the rest of dinner. Garrick allowed himself to relax, at least for the moment. Every now and then he caught glimpses of the daughter he used to know, and that gave him hope.
Having Hunter and Wynn around made a big difference. Too bad they couldn’t be there every night because Joylyn had changed in the past few years, and not for the better.
“I have a question,” Wynn said when even Hunter couldn’t eat anymore. “There’s a snowman wedding coming up before the holidays.” She glanced at Garrick. “Apparently it’s a thing.”
“Snowmen?”
She nodded, and turned back to Joylyn. “My friend Natalie has designed centerpieces using paper snowmen. The problem is she needs a thousand of them in a very short period of time.”
“She needs help making them,” Hunter said. “She’s paying a dollar fifty a snowman, and you can make like ten or twelve in an hour!” He sounded delighted. “I’m going to make some. You should do it, too, Joylyn. It’s not hard. Mom, did you bring a sample?”
“In my bag.”
Hunter raced into the other room and returned with a small paper snowman. He handed it to Joylyn.
“You’re not doing anything all day. You should make a lot of money.”
Joylyn flushed. “I’m pregnant.”
Hunter shrugged. “I know that, but you just sit around. Why not make these?”
Joylyn studied the small snowman. “I guess I could help.”
“Good,” Wynn said. “I’ll give her your contact info. I’ll be getting the paper in first thing tomorrow and I can drop it off.”
“Why will you get the paper?”
“I have a graphics and printing business in town. Natalie is ordering the supplies through me.”
Joylyn stared at her. “You own your own business?”
“I have for about ten years. Ever since Hunter and I moved here.”
“But you’re a single mom.”
“That’s true. I was never married.”
Hunter looked at his mom. “She does great, but if she wanted to get married, that would be good, too.” He grinned. “Maybe you’d like to date someone who lives by the golf course.” He turned to Joylyn. “Most of those houses have big swimming pools.”
She laughed. “So you don’t care about your mom’s happiness—just getting a pool?”
“Why not have both?”
“You are weird.” She stood. “Come on. Let’s clear the table, then we can go play video games. I bet I can beat you again.”
“You didn’t beat me. I let you win because you’re new. Tonight there’s no mercy.”
Garrick was more caught up in the fact that Joylyn was being pleasant and voluntarily helping.
It took them only a few minutes to get the leftovers into the refrigerator and disappear down the hall. He watched them go before returning his attention to Wynn.
“You worked a miracle.”
“I’d love to take credit, but I didn’t do anything.”
“She was almost nice.”
Rather than smile, Wynn shifted in her seat. “I’m going to say something that may get me in trouble.”
“I doubt that.”
“You haven’t heard what it is yet.” She moved her wineglass around the table.
“Garrick, you need to have expectations when it comes to your daughter. Joylyn is pregnant, but she’s not sick.
She can do something around here. Tell her she has to cook two meals a week and, I don’t know, manage the grocery shopping.
Whatever. You can come up with the list, but don’t let her just sit on her butt and brood all day. It’s not good for her.”
“You’re right,” he said, wishing he’d thought of that himself. “She should do more. I don’t look forward to the fight, but it’s the right thing to do.”
She stared at him, as if waiting for more. “That’s it?”
“What else do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know. I thought you’d be mad.”
“Why? You’re helping. You gave her a job. You have good advice.” He held up the wineglass. “I have dishes because of you. Even more important, you’re raising a great kid. Of course I’m going to listen to you.”
“Thank you. I just think she’ll be happier when she has more to do.”
“I’d like that. Not just for me but for her. She’s really different these days. She’s constantly in tears. I know she misses Chandler, but I worry she’s too emotional. She was always so easygoing as a kid.”
“I think the word you’re looking for is indulged.”
“So harsh,” he teased, then glanced at her empty glass. “More wine?”
“Thanks, but I need to get Hunter home. It’s a school night.”
“For us, too.”
They both stood. He reached for her empty glass at the same second she reached for his. Their hands bumped and their arms tangled. They both pulled back, and he looked at her.
She was beautiful, he thought absently. High cheekbones and a full mouth, the soft glow of her light brown skin. Plus all that long, curly hair.
Without considering he might be crossing a line, he reached out and fingered one of the curls.
Her hair was as soft as he’d imagined. Her gaze met his, and he read interest in her brown eyes.
The kind of interest that got a man’s attention and turned any day into a very good one. Awareness crackled between them.
He released the curl and drew her close, then slowly, deliberately settled his mouth on hers.
Her lips were soft and warm, igniting heat in his body. She put her hands on his shoulders and leaned into him. He felt the imprint of her breasts on his chest, the brush of her thighs against his. When he touched his tongue to her bottom lip, she parted and he eased inside.
It was a great kiss. All sexy and hot as they discovered the rhythm of the dance. He teased her tongue, liking the heat flaring and the way she hung on.
He wanted to pull back just enough to kiss his way along her jaw, then down her neck.
He wanted to lift her up on the table so he could move between her thighs and start to explore her incredible body.
He wanted to move her toward the bedroom and figure out at least fifteen ways to make her come before burying himself inside her and finding his own release.
And none of that was going to happen.
They broke apart at the same time. Her eyes were slightly glazed, which was gratifying considering his massive erection.
“If only we didn’t have kids in the next room,” she said, then cleared her throat. “Why is life all about timing?”
“Rain check?” he asked.
“Absolutely.”
***
Joylyn carefully applied a thin layer of glue on the tiny black hat, then set it on top of the snowman’s head. She held it in place for a count of ten before moving her fingers and studying the finished snowman.
The work wasn’t very interesting. She’d taken the morning to plan out the best way to put the pieces together.
Once she was familiar with the components and the process, she quickly figured out how to attack the project using a kind of assembly line approach.
It took more work upfront but allowed her to complete more snowmen per hour.
The money she earned would be helpful once the baby came. Just paying for diapers was going to be a challenge.
She moved the completed snowman to the box next to her, then glanced at the clock by the bed. She had a call scheduled with Chandler in a few minutes and didn’t want to be late. They only got to FaceTime a couple of times a week, so those calls were important to her.
She got up and stretched, feeling the pull in her back. She was so gross, she thought, waddling to the kitchen where she got herself another glass of water. Staying hydrated was important.
Once her glass was full, she opened the refrigerator and stared at the contents.
She’d gone to the grocery store earlier to buy what she needed to fix dinner.
Her dad had told her he wanted her to be responsible for dinner twice a week—not a surprise after her conversation with Wynn.
She’d thought about telling him no, but it had seemed like too much energy.
Plus she supposed she knew that Wynn wasn’t wrong about all the things she said.
Joylyn might not feel like she had it easy, but the truth was she did.
The fact that she was away from her friends was her own fault.
She should have stayed on base when she had the chance.
Feeling her mood spiral, she headed back to the bedroom and tried to distract herself with the snowmen construction.
Right on time, her laptop came to life, indicating an incoming call. She pushed the button to accept the call, then felt her heart jump when Chandler’s face filled the screen.
“Hey, beautiful girl,” her husband said with a smile. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine,” she said, even as tears filled her eyes. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too. It’s just over a month until we’re together. You need to hang in there.”
“I’m trying. Tell me what’s happening with you.”
As he told her about his days and what he was doing, she stared into his eyes and longed to feel his arms around her. Being apart was so hard and unfair.
“How are things with your dad?” he asked. “You getting along better?”
“I guess. I hate being here.”
“I know you do, baby, but you and your dad used to be tight. Maybe that can happen again.”
“I don’t know. I just can’t trust him not to leave me.”
“You’re the one who’s going to be leaving when I come home. I hate to see you suffer.”
She faked a smile. “You don’t have to worry about me, Chandler.”
“Sure I do. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“You heard from your mom?”
“No. Not a word.” The tears returned. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her or why she did what she did.”
“It doesn’t make sense to me, either. But sometimes the things that happen aren’t about us. They’re about the other person.”
Joylyn knew he was trying to make her feel better, and while it would be nice if her mom had sent her away because she had some issue she had to deal with, Joylyn knew the truth wasn’t that convenient.
Time and distance had allowed her to see that maybe she hadn’t been the easiest person on the planet to get along with.
That maybe her complaining and general annoyance with the world had gotten to be too much.