Her Wedding Wish Read Online Free

to leave. I might as well make myself useful here. Why don’t you take your little one in to see her daddy, sit down and spend time with your family? Your whole family. Together.”
    “I know. It’s almost unbelievable. I’ve been praying for this for so long, I can’t believe it’s finally here.”
    “It puts a different meaning to the word blessings, doesn’t it?”
    The four of them together in the same house. Danielle’s throat ached with gratitude. How very easily this moment could have never happened.
    Katherine washed her hands and reached for a towel. “Oh, I can hear Tyler.”
    They both strained to listen to the little boy in the neighboring room, his voice clear and sweet. “Daddy, that’s the picture where you hit your knee when you was climbin’ up the steps, and you hopped around. Your whole foot tingled so Mom had to drive until we saw the moose.”
    “You remember all that?” Jonas asked in his resonant baritone.
    “Yep. I remember lotza stuff. I got lotza brains.”
    Danielle put her hand over her mouth to hold in the giggle.
    “Go on.” Katherine’s eyes were sparkling with mirth as she dried her hands. “Get back to your husband. I’ve got it covered here.”
    “I owe you. Expect retaliation when you least expect it.”
    “Oh, that would be wonderful. You know how I love your lasagna.”
    “I know.” One evening soon, she’d make sure to pay back Katherine for her thoughtfulness tonight, but it couldn’t be enough. Nothing could be. It had been twelve long months that her entire family had been rallying around her and pitching in with the housework and the child care. As much as she appreciated it—and she did very much—the weight of the guilt over inconveniencing them choked her. It was time to start paying back.
    She put her hand on her daughter’s soft downy head and gently turned her in the direction of the living room. They went a few paces before Madison suddenly stopped chatting, wrapped one arm around Danielle’s knee and dug in her heels.
    Strange. Danielle knew that the little girl hadn’t seen Jonas since their brief trip to Seattle for Christmas. “C’mon, baby, let’s go see your daddy.”
    “No.” Madison dropped her phone and buried her face in her hands.
    Danielle knelt down—which was awkward since Madison still had one arm tightly around her knee—and realized Jonas was watching them from the couch. Tyler was camped down beside his dad on the cushion, his feet tucked beneath him, shoes and all.
    “C’mon, Madison!” Tyler called out. “Mom made the fudge cookies.”
    “Fudge cookies?” Madison spread two chubby fingers to peer out and verify the truth of her big brother’s claim.
    And right before supper, too, Danielle thought. “Only one, both of you, or you’ll spoil your dinner.”
    It was tough being the mom, because she had to face Tyler’s groan and Madison’s gasp of distress at such news. She gently nudged her daughter forward a step. “Go on, sweetie. Tyler has a cookie for you.”
    “No.” Madison removed one hand from her face, held up two fingers, reconsidered, and held up three, which meant she wanted three cookies. Her adorable little chin jutted.
    Danielle knew that look. Ah, the terrible twos were such a joy. She took a breath and gathered her courage for the impending battle—knowing she’d come out unpopular in the end—and then she felt Katherine’s hand on her shoulder.
    “She reminds me of someone,” Katherine said innocently. “Who could it be?”
    “Not me.” Danielle started to laugh, even as she denied it. “I’m not stubborn and never have been.”
    “No, not you,” Katherine agreed, laughing, as she opened the refrigerator door.
    Yep, her mother had warned her this day would come. She figured the best way to deal with having a daughter just like herself was to embrace it. She unwrapped Madison from her knee. “It’s too bad you don’t want a cookie.”
    “No! No! Bring me some!”
    Danielle