Building The Perfect Daddy. Brenda Harlen

had reasons to be wary, having been abandoned by her husband when she was pregnant with their second child. Not only that, he’d gotten the impression that she hadn’t heard from the guy since. Ryder shook his head, wondering what kind of person walked out on his family. But why did he care? Why did he wish he could make things better for her? Especially when she’d given no indication that she wanted or needed anyone to take care of her.

      Whatever the reasons, he was suddenly looking forward to this project a lot more than he’d expected.

      * * *

      After the spa, Lauryn and her sisters browsed a few of the local shops. Jordyn oohed and aahed over the jewelry display in Zahara’s but didn’t buy anything. She’d always loved fun and funky accessories, but since her marriage to Marco, she rarely wore anything more than the rings he’d put on her finger.

      “Look at this,” Jordyn said, holding up a hanger with a purple satin demi-cup bra with matching bikini panties.

      “Why do you need something like that? You’re practically still on your honeymoon,” Tristyn noted.

      “I wasn’t thinking for me, but for Lauryn.”

      She eyed the lingerie warily. “I don’t think that’s quite my style.”

      “The color matches your toenails,” her sister pointed out.

      “Which is proof that I’ve ventured far enough out of my comfort zone for today.”

      “I think Jordyn’s right,” Tristyn said. “You need to make a statement. Be bold. Be sexy.”

      “Who am I making a statement to?”

      “Yourself,” Jordyn said. “You’re the only one who matters.”

      “I’m more of a white lace kind of girl,” she told them.

      “Because you like white lace or because Rob liked you in white lace?” Tristyn challenged.

      Realizing that the answer to her sister’s question was the latter, Lauryn impulsively grabbed the hanger from Jordyn’s hand. “You’re right—just because I’ve never worn purple satin doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t try it.”