Decker's Daughter - Caroline Lee Page 0,38
“I think that’s a fine idea. Decker, Bobbi Rae, and CJ Cauldron.”
“CJ Cauldron,” the little girl repeated in an awe-struck whisper.
Then her head whipped back around to Decker. “I’ll be CJ Cauldron!”
“Okay, sweetheart.” He gave her hand a gentle little squeeze.
“But…” She frowned. “I still hate my name.”
In an attempt to make her feel better, Decker started, “It can’t be that bad—”
“It’s Curstine Jaydon.”
Decker’s mouth snapped shut. That was pretty bad. He remembered Bobbi had named her daughter the name her ex had chosen…and now it was clear Curtis had even more to answer for.
“I guess…” Shaking his head, Decker let out a reluctant little chuckle. “I can see why you choose different names.”
Bobbi pulled her daughter’s hands—and attention—away from Decker. “And just like I always told you, baby: once you absolutely, positively find a name you want to use, we’ll call you that for as long as you want.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “In the meantime, you just keep trying out new names. Have you considered Carroll Jessica? Or Colleen Jenna? Cecelia Jane?”
The little girl’s smile was one of the prettiest things he’d ever seen. “I was Colleen once last year, I think, but I like Cecelia.”
He nodded. “Well, there you go. Add that to your rotation.”
When she pulled free from her mom’s grasp, Decker hadn’t expected CJ to raise herself to her knees and throw her arms around his neck. But that’s exactly what happened.
One arm was still around Bobbi, but he spread the palm of his other hand against the little girl’s back and enjoyed the feel of her trust. She smelled of cotton and sugar and the hand soap in the downstairs powder room, making him wonder what she’d been up to all day, and when she pulled back long enough to smile up at him, he saw his future grinning up at him.
“I love you, Daddy.”
Daddy.
He was someone’s daddy.
Swallowing, he nodded, not sure he could put his feelings into words.
But he had to try.
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
CJ nodded, satisfied, and buried her head back in his neck.
Daddy.
It was the best job title he could imagine.
Beside him, Bobbi snuggled up, pressing their daughter between them. She reached around the small body to rest her hand on his and laid her head on his shoulder.
“I love you too, Decker.”
He was able to catch a glimpse of his wife’s smile before she turned her attention to the sunset once more.
“Not as much as I love both of you,” he whispered.
CJ giggled. “Love you more, Daddy.”
Epilogue
Ted caught a glimpse of the happy family out the back window, and he wished with everything inside him for a woman as good as his brothers and cousins had found. He didn’t care what she looked like, as long as she was good.
He looked at Bob and Tessa, Cade and Jami, and Jim and Joy. Two of his siblings and two of his cousins were married now, and Pops looked happier than he’d ever seen him. Ted wanted to feel the same kind of happiness being happily married had brought to the others.
It seemed odd four of them were married and two weren’t. They’d done everything together. They’d lost their teeth together. They’d started school together. They’d even fought together.
But now, he and Wyatt were the last men standing.
How was that going to work?
Wyatt was a gambler, and he was a numbers man. The only way he gambled was on the stock market, and that wasn’t really gambling, not when you knew what you were doing.
Ted excused himself and walked out the front door, then made his way to the road, where he stopped and stared out toward the south.
Why couldn’t some lost tourist who was good, intelligent, and kind just show up out of the blue?
Well, maybe she’d need to run out of gas, so she’d be there long enough to talk to him, but he’d have to think on that more.
He walked along the short two-lane highway, thinking about exactly what he wanted in life.
When he spotted a car broken down up ahead, he sighed, then turned his slow walk into a jog as he went to render aid, because that’s what Cauldrons did. They rendered aid whenever possible.
Just before reaching the car, he thought about who he wanted to be inside. Maybe this was the catalyst for a life-changing event. He’d open that door, and nothing would ever be the same again.
Laughing at himself, he stopped at the car.
Gosh! It’s almost like Ted is about to get exactly what he wished for, huh? Who could possibly be in that broken-down car? Find out in Ted’s Temptress by Kirsten Osbourne!
And what exactly is going on with Wyatt’s refusal to get married, and the way he can’t take his eyes off Artie Weston? Don’t worry, it’ll all be revealed soon…
If you’re curious about the history of Bobbi’s family, you’re going to want to check out the second book in the Black Aces trilogy, Three of a Kind. These stories are loads of fun; a mysterious vigilante, a bad guy you love to hate, and true love triumphing over evil. And you can bet this “history” is relevant in later Cauldron Valley stories!
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About the Author
Caroline Lee has been reading romance for so long that her fourth-grade teacher used to make her cover her books with paper jackets. But it wasn't until she (mostly) grew up that she realized she could write it too. So she did.
Caroline is living her own little Happily Ever After in NC with her husband, sons, and new daughter, Princess Wiggles. And while she doesn't so much "suffer" from Pittakionophobia as think that all you people who enjoy touching Band-Aids and stickers are the real weirdos, she does adore rodents, and never met a wine she didn't like. Caroline was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2006 (along with everyone else) and is really quite funny in person. Promise.
You can find her at www.CarolineLeeRomance.com.