Montana Skies (You, Me and the Kids) (Harlequin Superromance, No 1395) Read Online Free Page B

they’d driven their small-town princess away. Jonas turned to face her and found Caroline watching him. Her gray eyes revealed the same thoughts, the same doubts about herself. Insecurities they’d both gained from Lea’s desertion.
    â€œWe’ll do all right and get things taken care of, Caro. Don’t worry.”
    Once again she left the bed, but this time she padded over to where he stood, sliding her freckled arms around his waist and laying her cheek on his ribs. Jonas hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head like he had nearly every day since her birth.
    â€œI’m sorry, Dad.”
    â€œFor what?”
    â€œThat you have to do this stuff. Maybe Mom would’ve stayed if—”
    He squeezed her to silence her. “No, honey. She wouldn’t have stayed. Your mom wanted to leave North Star long before we ever got together, before she got pregnant with you. Some people are meant to live in small towns, others aren’t. It’s as simple as that.” He kissed her hair again, then her forehead. “You did absolutely nothing wrong, you hear me?”
    She nodded, but the movement lacked substance and belief.
    â€œSweetheart, no amount of helping around the house or extra good behavior would’ve changed things. She didn’t leave you, honey, she left me.”
    â€œBut she didn’t leave until after—”
    â€œTrust me,” he ordered, anxious to drop the subjectbefore she became upset. “I know what I’m talking about, and you aren’t to blame. Now…homework done?”
    â€œAlmost.” A heavy sigh left her chest. “I can’t believe we get homework on the weekend. It sucks. ”
    He chuckled. “Finish it up tonight then and be done with it so you’ll have the rest of the weekend free.” He loosened his grip, but she held tight, her nose pressed into his chest, her forehead hot pink.
    â€œDad…think maybe we could go to The Blooming Rose tomorrow?” Her words were muffled against his shirt. “Things are kind of tight.”
    Which meant she hoped to get her things before school on Monday, with or without help. Jonas sighed and rubbed her back. “I’ll take you on my break, how’s that?”
    â€œAnd I can do it by myself? Please, Dad?”
    â€œI guess you can’t get things too wrong.”
    â€œReally?” She hugged him again. “Thank you!”
    â€œI love you, baby. Don’t worry so much about things, okay?”
    Caroline nodded, not looking at her dad when she released him and walked over and seated herself on the bed. She grabbed a pillow to hold in front of her, and waited for him to close the door behind him, smiling when he looked through the space one last time before he pulled it shut.
    A second passed. Two. Tears filled her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall.
    Her dad was a good guy, the best. People liked and respected him. Came to him for advice. She knew he only said those things about her mom leaving because he was trying to make her feel better.
    She dropped to her side and grabbed the photo album next to her bed, cracking the CD case when she put toomuch weight on the plastic frame. Ignoring that, she stared down at the proof right there in the album.
    Newspaper clippings and photos, announcements. All the stuff her grandma had collected over the years. Her mom had danced, cheered or played sports every season of the year from grade school to high school. She was pretty and popular, a model for local TV and print ads. She’d worn the latest styles, always looked neat and clean and great. Always had a cute boyfriend. Wrote words like “smooches” and “kiss-kiss” in her notes.
    Caroline rolled over onto her back and stared up at the poster of Harry Potter tacked to her ceiling. How many times had her mom told her she was a mess? Complained that her hair was too wild, her teeth too crooked, her freckles too dark?