Moondance Beach by Susan Donovan Read Free Book Online Page A

chubby face. Nine-month-old Serena possessed the purest and most unspoiled human skin he’d ever seen, but she stared at him with unblinking judgment. Her expression reminded him of the Navy’s BUD/s Hell Week instructors at Coronado, whose only goal was to make him beg to “DOR”—request to drop out of the grueling SEAL training. Who knew? Maybe Serena was tough enough to be the girl who finally broke the Naval Special Warfare Combatant gender barrier, becoming the first female SEAL in the nation’s history.
    He bent down, inhaled the baby smell of his niece’s neck, and whispered in her ear, “You’d never DOR—would you, sweetie?”
    Serena raked the teething ring across his cheek.
    “Whatcha talking about over there?” Rowan asked.
    Duncan laughed. “I think we’re bonding.”
    His sister gave him a sideways glance and smiled.
    “You’re a natural, Duncan. I hope one day you have a little one of your own. I think you’d be a really good dad.”
    And just like that, Duncan’s mood went from cheerful to foul. “For God’s sake, Row.”
    “Well, it’s true!” Rowan shrugged. “Don’t be mad. I’m just telling you what I see. You’re really good with her, and with Christina, too. It’s a compliment, Duncan. I’m not getting on your case. I’m telling you you’re doing a good job.”
    “Well, thanks.”
    At that moment, Christina came running back intothe dining room, scrambled up the rungs of Duncan’s chair, and began cooing and giggling to Serena, who cooed and giggled right back. Duncan felt like a human version of the monkey bars.
    “Da’s car is coming up the drive!”
    Almost simultaneous to Clancy’s announcement, Mona and Mellie burst through the kitchen swinging doors bearing two large serving trays, one holding Frasier’s favorite eye-of-round roast beef—cooked medium—and another featuring a selection of broiled seafood. Annie, Nat, and Evelyn came right behind, placing serving dishes on the sideboard and filling water glasses. Rowan hurried around the table, making one last pass to make sure every place setting was in order.
    Ash grabbed Serena and Clancy grabbed Christina, and everyone stood behind their chairs, waiting for the family patriarch, the guest of honor, to walk in the house and through the dining room doors, which were thrown open in welcome.
    Nat craned his neck so that he could see past the velvet drapes to the drive. He reared back and whispered, “Ohhhh, shit.”
    “What the—” Annie gasped, peeking around Nat’s shoulder.
    “We’re going to need another plate,” Ash said dryly. “And maybe a SWAT team.”
    Duncan watched in disbelief as his father tiptoed into the room, a senior-citizen blonde on his arm and a shit-eating grin on his face.
    Apparently, his father had thought it was a good idea to bring a date to his family birthday party, and he’d picked a real doozy. Duncan recognized his companion as Sally, the woman who was the leader of the BayberryIsland Fairy Brigade and his mother’s archenemy. Duncan had always thought she looked like a taller version of Dolly Parton.
    At the far end of the table, Duncan’s mother remained poised and smiling, though the veins in her neck looked close to popping.
    “Sally,” Mona said flatly. “What a thoroughly unexpected pleasure.”
    Sally’s face broke out in red hivelike blotches.
    “Oh, Da.” Rowan slithered down into her chair with Serena in her arms. The disappointment in his sister’s face was awful to see.
    “I
told
you not to bring me here!” Sally hit Frasier with her sparkly purse. “Dammit! You promised me nobody would care!”
    Duncan assessed the mood of the room. Yes, it was safe to say everyone cared. In fact, Annie and Evelyn were shocked. Ash was embarrassed. Nat tried not to gawk. Mellie kept shaking her head and muttering what were likely Portuguese curse words.
    “Who’s that lady with Granda?” Christina yelled out, pointing. Evelyn shushed her.
    “All right,