The Firefighter Daddy. Margaret Daley

niece knows you well.”

      “You mean she has me wrapped around her little finger. I admit sometimes she does, but I wanted to see you again so I agreed after only a little begging.” He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “But don’t tell them.”

      “They won’t get it from me.” She turned to the yard and called, “Do you two want some cookies and lemonade?”

      Madison had her arm in midthrow and stopped. The ball plopped to the ground near her, and the girls raced toward the deck. Liam stepped to the left while Sarah moved to the right. Madison and Katie ran between them and skidded to a halt at the glass table. Just as she and Liam were going to close the gap between them, Gabe loped by.

      “I have some wipes you can use to clean your hands.” Her mother handed each one a cloth.

      Sarah looked up at Liam. He chuckled then said, “They came to me that way. They go full throttle like Gabe then crash hard—” he checked his watch “—in about five hours.”

      “If I only had half that energy.” Sarah walked toward the table, watching the smile on her mother’s face as she poured the lemonade and made sure the girls had enough cookies. Gabe lay down between Liam’s nieces, probably hoping to lap up the crumbs that fell on the deck.

      When Sarah and Liam sat, her mom scrutinized him as she took a chair next to Madison. Sarah braced herself for the interrogation that would probably follow.

      “Liam, I understand you haven’t been living here long. How do you like Buffalo?” her mother asked while his nieces were busy finishing their first treat and starting on another.

      “It certainly is different from Dallas.” He took a bite of the cookie. “Mmm. This is delicious. Better than the ones I make.”

      Her mother’s eyebrows shot up. “You bake cookies?”

      “I didn’t set out to be a cook, but in Dallas that became my job at the fire station. I’ll admit I liked doing that more than cleaning the place. Over the years I’ve kept adding recipes to what I can prepare. I figure if I’m going to cook, I should do it well. The guys on my shift here quickly put me in charge of the meals.”

      “We used to eat out a lot. Not now. His pizza is the bestest I’ve had.” Katie’s legs swung back and forth as she stuffed the last of the second cookie into her mouth.

      “I love his fried chicken.” Madison patted her stomach. “Oh, and macaroni and cheese. It’s not from a box,” she added in astonishment.

      “I like to cook, too, but alas, my daughter doesn’t. I’d love to share recipes. The chocolate-chip recipe was my mother’s.”

      “Mom, Nana should be out here by now.” Sarah hoped she took the hint and went inside to see about Nana before she started asking Liam more personal questions.

      Her mother frowned and pushed to her feet. “You’re right. She’s having one of her days.”

      After her mom went inside, Liam asked quietly, “Is your grandmother okay?”

      “Some days she forgets things.”

      Although she had kept her voice low, Madison heard what Sarah said to Liam. “I forgot how to spell Buffalo on my spelling test, but I remembered Oklahoma.”

      “That’s great, Madison.” Sarah was glad the girls didn’t start asking questions about Nana’s memory, and she would remember in the future even when they didn’t look as though they were listening, the girls were probably paying attention.

      Katie sat straighter. “I know how to spell my whole name.”

      Madison jumped to her feet. “Ready, Gabe.”

      The black Lab stood, his tail wagging.

      Katie snatched another cookie and started to follow Gabe and Madison.

      “Girls, I’m going home in a few minutes.” Liam finished his drink and put his glass on the table.

      Madison whirled around. “You can’t. We wanna play with Gabe more. He wants us to.”

      Katie nodded over and over.

      Liam rose. “I know. Sarah thought you could stay here for a while then go with her to the park with Gabe.”

      “After the park, I’ll take you back to your house. Today is just too pretty to spend inside,” Sarah said as the back door opened and her grandmother and mother appeared.

      “In fact, when you three come to my house, I’ll have dinner almost ready, and if Sarah wants to eat with us, that’s fine with me.” Liam peered expectedly at Sarah.

      “How can I turn down that invitation? I’d love to.”

      Madison put her hand on top of the Lab’s head. “So Gabe can stay at our house, too?”

      “Yes, while Sarah is there.” Liam smiled at Nana, who had on her floppy hat but was still in her work clothes with short sleeves.

      The girls charged down the steps to the yard and ran toward the tennis ball on the ground near the back fence.

      “Who’s this young man?” Nana asked as she took a seat. “I haven’t met you before. Are you sweet on my granddaughter?”

      Heat flooded Sarah’s face. There was no telling what her grandmother would say. On her good days she wouldn’t have said that so bluntly. She usually was the subtle one.

      “We’re friends, Nana. Liam found Gabe when he was lost.”

      “Gabe was lost?” Her grandmother chewed on her lower lip, trying to think.

      “Yes, a few days last week. Mom, will you keep an eye on the girls while I show Liam out?”

      “Sure. Take your time.”

      The urge to roll her eyes at her mother was strong, but she refrained from doing it. Instead she walked with Liam around the side of the house and through the gate. When they were in the front yard, she said what she hadn’t wanted to say with his nieces nearby. “Nana is eighty and has bouts of forgetfulness. Today is one of those times. When Mom asked me to move home to help her at the salon and with my grandmother, I couldn’t turn her down. Family is important to me.”

      “I agree. Now if I can just figure out this daddy thing, life will run much smoother.”

      “I don’t know if that will ever happen, but you’re doing fine.”

      He smiled. “You’re kind. You didn’t see me trying to get my nieces to move this morning when we were late for church.”

      “It happens to all of us.”

      “I’m beginning to see that when I hear the stories some of the guys talk about at my single dads’ group.”

      “Networking is important. I’m looking for a group for caregivers that my mother can join. I think she would appreciate the support and a place to talk about her problems. We talk, but it’s not the same thing. I haven’t yet gone through the problems she has, but I can stay home with Nana while she attends.”

      “There isn’t one at church?”

      “No, but maybe Mom could start one. That’s a great idea, Liam.” She heard the gate open and watched as the two girls raced out of the backyard with Gabe right behind them, barking.

      Madison skidded to a stop first, excitement on her face. “You’ve got to come look.” She tugged on Sarah’s arm while Katie tugged on Liam’s. “You won’t believe it.”