Happily This Christmas (Happily Inc #6) - Susan Mallery Page 0,19

before, and he’ll drive you back here.”

Yes, that was the reward that was supposed to make up for what was happening, Joylyn thought bitterly. If she went quietly and stayed with her father, then gosh, golly, the week before Christmas, she was allowed to come home.

“If I really behave, maybe I’ll get some gruel to go with my bread and water.”

Her mother shook her head. “Joylyn, it’s not a punishment.”

“What would you call it? You’re sending me away, Mom. You’re forcing me to leave. I’m going to miss Thanksgiving and all our traditions before Christmas. I’m getting ready to have a baby, all on my own. I’m going to be by myself at my birthing classes.”

“I wanted to go with you months ago, but you kept putting it off.”

“Because I thought there was time. It never occurred to me that you’d be kicking me out. I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe you’re sending me away. It’s horrible and I’ll never forgive you. Whatever happens for the rest of our lives, you will always have done this to me.”

Her mother’s expression was weary. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

But she wasn’t sorry enough, Joylyn thought, her anger fading as sadness took its place. Nothing was going to change—her mother was tossing her out on the street, and the only person willing to take her in was her father. She was going to have to go live in some hideous little town where she knew no one, and then she was going to have a baby.

All her friends were in college or back on base in San Diego, and her husband was on the other side of the planet. Joylyn had thought she could count on her mom to be there for her, but she’d been wrong about that.

Fear joined the other emotions swirling inside her. More tears fell. She waited for her mom to walk over and give her a hug, but she didn’t. When Joylyn turned back to the doorway, she saw her mother was gone and she was alone.

CHAPTER FOUR

WYNN SAT ON the porch next to Garrick. They were close enough that their shoulders brushed every now and then. She felt foolish for noticing but so what? No one had to know about her borderline schoolgirl crush on her hunky neighbor.

“Nervous?” she asked.

Garrick kept his gaze on the street in front of the house. “Yes. Excited, too.” He glanced at his watch. “She should be here by now.”

“Don’t start worrying. She’s not late. Pregnant women have to pee a lot. I’m sure she’s made at least three stops on the drive from Phoenix.”

His mouth twisted. “I shouldn’t have let her come out by herself. I should have driven out to Phoenix, then brought her here. What if something happened?”

“What if something didn’t?” She smiled at him. “Let’s wait for the crisis before we panic.”

“You’re not panicked at all.”

“It’s important that one of us stay rational.”

He drew in a breath. “You’re right. Did I mention I’m nervous?”

“You did. It’s going to be okay.”

She hoped she wasn’t lying about that, Wynn thought, not sure how Joylyn’s visit was going to go. She didn’t understand why Garrick’s daughter would have suddenly refused to see her father. Maybe she’d been in a snit for a few weeks, but surely that would have blown over. And where was her mother in all this? There was no way Wynn would have let Hunter act that way. Family was family. Even if things were difficult, you made it work. Of course that was easy for her to say—Hunter was her only family. She wouldn’t turn her back on him regardless of what he did. Nor would she let him turn from her. But she knew it was easy to have an opinion when she wasn’t intimately involved in the situation.

A light blue Prius pulled into the driveway. Garrick was instantly on his feet.

“That’s her.”

He crossed to the car in three long strides and pulled open the door. A very pregnant young woman slowly got out.

“Hi,” he said with a smile. “How was the drive?”

Joylyn was pretty, with blue eyes and medium brown hair. Her eyes were red, and if Wynn had to guess, she would say that Joylyn had spent much of the drive in tears.

She looked at her father without returning his smile. “How do you think it was? Awful. My back hurts, my feet are swollen and every driver on the road is an idiot. I can’t believe I’m going to be