Sunday, June 1, 2014

The Single Dad's Second Chance - Brenda Harlen (HSE #2337 - June 2014)

Series: Those Engaging Garretts (Book 4)

The mommy project

Dear Diary,
Today I met my new mommy Well, I wish Rachel would be my new mommy. See, I love my daddy a lot, but ever since my real mommy died I think he's been very lonely. Rachel is so pretty, and she has the coolest job--she owns the flower shop in town She promised to show me how to make a bouquet.

My best friend, Kristy, says Daddy should take Rachel out on dates, and then they hafta kiss, and then they can get married. Diary, I wish Rachel would like my daddy and me as much as I like her. Maybe if she did, she would want to be my mommy and join our family. Maybe if I close my eyes and wish hard, it will come true....

Rachel would love to ignore Valentine's Day completely, but as a florist it just isn't possible. At the end of the day she is having dinner in a restaurant kitchen with her friend the owner when that friend invites Andrew to sit with Rachel. Rachel recognizes him as the man who comes in to buy flowers for his wife three times a year, and is surprised to see him alone. That's when she finds out that he has been a widower for three years.  After dinner they decide to go bowling and have a very good time together. Rachel has been on a dating hiatus for a long time, thanks to a relationship gone bad, and Andrew has only been out a few times since his wife's death.

Rachel is attracted to Andrew but wary of getting involved with him. Her last relationship had been with a man who hadn't really gotten over his ex-wife. She isn't sure she wants to be with a man who appears to still be grieving for his wife. When he admits that he has been, but is finally ready to move past it, she takes the risk. Andrew knows it's time to move on with his life, but he hadn't met a woman who motivated him to do so until he met Rachel. He starts out cautiously, not telling her about his daughter or what his job is. He's looking forward to Rachel getting to know who he is, not what he is. It doesn't take long for the two of them to get really involved with each other.

When Rachel finds out about his daughter before he has a chance to tell her, she is hurt and angry that he hadn't shared such an important part of his life. She is ready to end the relationship until he convinces her to give him another chance. Andrew confesses that he held back because he didn't want Maura to get attached and then nothing come of it. Now that she knows they spend more time together, including Maura. Maura really takes to Rachel, and is pushing for her to be her new mommy. Andrew panics a bit,  fearing things are moving too fast. He pulls back, bringing back memories for Rachel of her previous relationship. It doesn't take long for him to realize that he's being an idiot and gets in some good grovelling to try to fix things with Rachel.

Things appear to be going well as they are all getting to know each other. But interference from Andrew's former mother-in-law creates more issues and now it's Rachel who has to make a decision. I loved seeing Andrew stand up for her. The ending was really sweet.

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