Huddle Up Read Online Free Page A

Wasn’t a daughter supposed to think of her dad as a super hero? “Gabriela, do you know the story of Samson from the Bible?”
    She nodded, her curls bouncing with the motion.
    “She goes to Sunday School,” said Angel proudly.
    Of course she did. Despite the bar being a place where many an alcoholic or unfaithful spouse passed the time, the O’Malley’s were faithful churchgoers. “Well, that’s why I keep my hair long.”
    “Can I braid it?”
    “Uh…” That wasn’t the reaction he was hoping for. Apparently she wasn’t buying the Samson story. Braid his hair? He may wear it in a ponytail from time to time, but a braid? If the guys on the team caught wind of it, he’d never live it down.
    “Pleazeeeeee.”
    She bestowed a smile so stunning he instinctively knew it was some feminine trick she used to get what she wanted. Perhaps he’d catch on to this father gig quicker than he thought. However, knowing you were being played was one thing while actually having a defense against it was another. “Sure.”
    Angel arched an eyebrow as Gabriela wiggled in her arms.
    “Yay! Down, Mommy.”
    As soon as Gabriela’s tiny feet hit the floor, she took his finger into her hand and led him to her room, which he recognized as being Angel’s old one. And now, with two beds, he realized it still was. With Gabriela’s bed decked out with a purple comforter and gauzy white pillows, it was clear that Angel did her best, but plans to spoil his daughter began to form in his mind.
    His gaze zeroed in on the pink elephant settled amongst the other stuffed animals. Angel kept it?
    Did she ever think about that night? He’d won it for her at the carnival that swooped into town. He spent twenty dollars before knocking down a trio of stacked milk bottles with a baseball but it was well worth the smile he received from the girl everyone referred to as a badass. Later that night they made love for the first time. Maybe fumbled in love would be a more accurate statement.
    Now it looked as though the elephant belonged to their daughter. He wondered if Angel had wanted Gabriela to have some small piece of him. Did she hold it at night as she fell asleep? Now his eyes watered as he choked on the emotion flooding into his heart. What the fuck? He tucked the feelings away as he sneezed violently. Not tears at all but an allergic reaction to something in the room.
    “God bless you,” said Angel as she plopped onto her bed for a front row seat.
    Gabriela directed him to sit on the floor as she collected a brush and a plastic bin filled with hair accessories. He flinched several times as she yanked the brush through his hair, but he was more focused on her chatter. Angel wasn’t kidding when she said Gabby loved to talk. About anything and everything. Flitting from one subject to another so fast that his mind struggled to keep up with her favorite Disney princess, flavor of ice cream, cartoon, and on and on. Hopefully there wasn’t a test at the end, if there was an end.
    Without taking a breath, she asked. “Do you want one braid or two?”
    “One will do,” he said. Angel’s laughter filled the room. He loved the sound but he had a feeling he was the reason for it. “What’s so funny?”
    “You look shell-shocked.”
    “Then I look exactly how I feel.” He sneezed again.
    A stamp of a tiny foot muffled against the carpet. “Mommy, I need help.”
    Angel got up and stood behind him. Arousal fired in his blood and he fisted his hands as Angel braided his hair. As a teen he would’ve pulled her onto to his lap and tickled her until she kissed him. With the familiar feel of her fingers running through his hair, damn if he wasn’t tempted to do it now, but his daughter stood by watching her mother’s every move.
    “See? Now try it again.”
    Once Gabriela took over, his breathing returned to normal. After several failed attempts, the would-be hairstylist held out two rubber bands in her chubby hand and asked, “Purple or