Page 8 of When Morning Comes Around

She swung her head to look at him. “He is. Do you know him?”

“Only a little bit. I’ve been over here a few times, and he’s helped me figure out what to do with the back yard.”

She gave him a genuine smile. “Well, as if I needed any more confirmation, I now know for sure that you’re a good man.”

He cocked an eyebrow.

“My dad wouldn’t help you if you weren’t.” Her bottom lip quivered as she looked up at the house. “He hates Dale. I know he’ll be glad to hear my news, but I don’t want that to be the first thing we talk about. He’ll worry about me. I’d rather get him back on his feet in every sense.”

Dominic glanced over his shoulder at the packed back seat. “Do you want me to hang onto your stuff?”

“Would you? The last thing I want to do is alarm him by showing up with the last few things I own in the world.”

“It’s not a problem. I can load them back into your minivan when Jake picks it up tomorrow. Or … whatever you like.”

They both turned when the light on the front porch came on. “That’d be great, thanks. It’s going to be bad enough explaining to him that I broke down on the hill.” She looked over at the back seat. “I’ll just grab my overnight bag, that’s all I need.”

Dominic nodded. “Do you want me to come with you?” Even as he spoke the words, he didn’t know why he was asking.

She gave him a puzzled look and then nodded. “Please, it sounds like he already knows you and likes you. Although… Don’t you need to get home?”

“I’m fine.”

He understood what she meant when she glanced at his left hand – at his ring. He reached for it automatically and twisted it around on his finger.

“She’s not waiting for me at home if that’s what you’re thinking – she died nine years ago.”

Sadie’s hand flew up to cover her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

He shrugged. “You couldn’t know.”

“No. But still… I’m sorry.”

He was relieved when the front door opened, and Harvey hobbled out onto the porch.

“We’d better go explain things to him.”

Sadie was already climbing out, and as Dominic watched her run to her dad, he had to wonder why he’d offered to stick around. He didn’t regret it – he was glad he had, but he sure as hell didn’t understand it.

Chapter Three

The moment Sadie saw her dad open the front door, he was all she could think about. She jumped out of the SUV and ran to him. The sight of him stopped her at the top of the porch steps.

“Dad!”

He smiled. “That’s me. And wipe that look off your face, would you? I didn’t do as much damage as it seems.”

She hurried to him but stopped short. She wanted to hug him but didn’t know how. He was leaning heavily on a cane, and his left side was badly bruised. His face and his arm were black and blue; she could only imagine what the rest of him looked like under his clothing.

“Oh, Dad!”

“I told you, honey bun; it’s not as bad as it looks.” He looked over her shoulder and frowned. “Dom? Is that you?”

Sadie turned as Dominic came up the steps behind her.

“Yeah, it’s me. What happened to you?”

She turned back to her dad when he chuckled. “I guess I was in too much of a hurry to get down the stairs the other morning. I kind of skipped the first one, and the rest of them came at me too fast. It’s nothing; I’m fine.” He looked from Dominic to Sadie and back again. “Come on inside. I want to ask how the two of you know each other, but I need to get my ass back in the chair before we get into that.”

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