Harlequin Love Inspired March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Patrice Lewis (best large ereader .txt) 📕

“What a beauty.” Daddy looked up from the bookshelf he was building out of old chippy-painted window shutters. “She’ll soon be regal again.”

“What do you think of this fabric?” Stacia laid the rose gold-and-taupe-striped upholstery over the back.

“Freshen the legs with mahogany stain, and she’ll be a perfect addition to 3 Gals’ Treasures.” Daddy used the nail gun to secure a bead board panel to the shutters.

Her mom’s dream antique and vintage shop—now Stacia’s since her mom and her sister were both gone—was in the heart of Medina, Texas Hill Country. Along with Daddy’s demolition business, the store specialized in repurposing salvaged materials.

“We have an update on heavy metal rock star, Ronny Outrageous.”

Her attention zeroed in on the TV as the breath stilled in her lungs. A picture of him in full goth makeup popped up beside the blond news anchor. Daddy grabbed the remote, bumped up the sound.

“As we reported, last weekend Ronny Outrageous was in a deadly tour bus accident. His condition has continued to stabilize and the fan favorite was moved from the ICU into a private room today. Fans have flooded city parks across Los Angeles and his home state of Texas, holding vigil for the heavy metal singer.”

A shot of the accident site piled with cards, flowers and stuffed animals filled the screen followed by a clip of a crowd of well-wishers holding smartphones, swaying in unison.

“As #GetWellRonny trends across social media, fans hold placards of love and affection, waiting, hoping to be interviewed so the singer can hear their sentiments.”

The television went dark.

“That’s enough of that.” Daddy set the remote down.

“What if he comes for the twins?” Her greatest fear since he’d signed them over to her after her sister died three years ago.

“Don’t go borrowing trouble.” Daddy gave her hand a squeeze. “He signed away his rights. Twice. They’re five now. Since he hasn’t wanted them all these years, he’s not going to start now.”

“Facing death changes people.” Her voice cracked.

“Some folks are too selfish to change. He’ll recover and get on with his career.” Daddy went back to work on the bookshelf. The thwack of his nail gun filled the air for the next several minutes, and then he picked up the level, checking each side. “I forgot to tell you I saw Adrian at the grocery store the other day. He asked about you. Always does.”

“I don’t know why. He’s the one who broke things off.”

“It’s perfectly normal for a single guy to get nervous when the girl he’s dating takes on twins to raise. But things have settled down now. Maybe you could give him another chance.”

“He told me he wanted his own kids to raise, not someone else’s, Daddy. That’s pretty straightforward.” She hadn’t been serious about Adrian and never told him she’d inherited her mom’s heart defect. “I told you I was about to break things off anyway. We weren’t a good match.”

“You have no idea how proud I am of you for taking on the responsibility of raising Mason and Madison. I mean, at the tender age of twenty-five you took on not one, but twin two-year-olds and they’ve thrived in the past three years.”

“They’re my niece and nephew. Anyone would have done the same.”

“Maybe.” Daddy tested the stability and joints of the shelf. “But I want you to live a full life. To have a love like I had with your mother. God has someone for you, who will love you and the twins and be content without biological children. You just need to open your heart to the possibility.”

“I’m fine the way things are. I have the twins and you. That’s all I need.” But a pang settled in her heart the way it always did when she thought of never having cousins for the twins.

As a Christian, it wasn’t that she was afraid to die, but she refused to take the chance of leaving motherless children behind. Enough of that had happened in her family already.

“But I won’t be around forever and the kids will grow up and be gone some day.”

“Now you’re depressing me.” She ripped the final piece of upholstery off the back of the chair.

“I just don’t want you to miss out on your own happily-ever-after.” He touched her arm. “Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t take anything for you and the years we had with your sister. But I loved your mother and if we’d known back then about her heart condition, I’d have married her anyway and been willing to adopt.”

But Daddy was one of a kind. A man who’d raised two daughters alone, despite a manipulative sister-in-law. He could have handed them over to Aunt Eleanor and waltzed off into the sunset. A lot of men would have.

It was easier just to avoid men, not risk her heart, emotionally or physically.

“Just think about it.”

She nodded to appease him. But the most pressing thing on her mind was Ron having a change of heart about the twins. Her stomach clenched.

“That’s my girl.” He checked his watch. “Time to open.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I clean up.” She slipped her smock off. Thankfully, her capris and blouse were none the worse for wear. In the bathroom, she dabbed a wet washcloth over her face, attempting not to wash off her makeup, then soaped the grime from her arms and hands.

Leaving the back door of the workshop open for ventilation, she entered the front part of the barn that housed the store. Long aisles were packed with everything from a flat-bottom boat repurposed into a bookshelf to an old upright piano turned into a desk to various antiques and vintage furnishings.

Daddy perched on the stool behind the counter.

Every clock in the place chimed ten times as she hurried to unlock the front door and turn the Open sign around.

Waverly Heathcott stood outside, waiting. One of their best and possibly richest customers, owner of The Texas Rose. Definitely the most put together.

While