Slow Ride (Riding with Honor) by Rebecca Avery Read Free Book Online Page B

work. 
    Rolling over, he groaned when he noticed the time.  Grabbing his cell phone he pushed the button and said, “Hello”
    “Tommy?” Dana said .
    “Yea, I overslept ,” he replied.
    “I wondered what happened since you didn’t show up at the hospital this morning for Melody’s feeding and then when you weren’t here…Gretchen’s usually here by now ,” she said.
    “I’m sorry.  How was she this morning?” he asked, feeling guilty since singing to her seemed to be the ticket to her slow but steady increase in weight.  He hoped he hadn’t cost her precious ounces of weight she’d struggled to gain over the past couple of days.
    “Well , if you can get Gretchen here before recess I may let you open for my next performance,” she said proudly.
    “ You sang to her?” he asked with a smile. And he’d missed it!
    “Yes and it worked!” she said and Tommy liked the excitement he heard in her voice. “I tried humming at first but she would have none of it so I had to go all out.  I don’t think the nurses enjoyed it as much as they enjoy you but…”
    “Do you enjoy me Dana?” he asked before he could stop himself.
    Silence cut through the line until he began to wonder if she’d hung up on him.
    “I…uh…yea, I like it when you sing too…” she said breathlessly.  Well that certainly didn’t help his morning wood.
    “We’ll be there shortly…sorry I overslept ,” he said.
    After hanging up he scrambled out of bed and finding some clothes for Gretchen he went in to the kitchen only to find her eating dry cereal out of the box.
    “Why didn’t you wake me up Gretchen?” he asked.
    She looked at him oddly and then said , “Today’s my birthday, Daddy.”
    Shit.   Tomorrow was Gretchen’s actual birthday but he completely forgot to bake cupcakes for her class party today.  He also forgot to order a cake for her birthday party tomorrow at Gran’s house.
    “Well we are late so finish up your breakfast and then get dressed ,” he said, setting her clothes on an empty kitchen chair.
    Heading back to his room , he grabbed his cell phone and called Dana’s number back as he rummaged for some clothes for himself.
    “Tommy?” she answered. “Did you forget something?”
    “Yea, I kind of did… I was supposed to make cupcakes for Gretchen’s birthday party and I completely forgot.  I’m going to drop her off and then go get store bought ones and I’ll drop them back off on my way to work ,” he said.
    “I already brought cupcakes for her birthday.  I do that for all my student’s birthdays ,” she said.
    Part of him wanted to kiss her but another part felt bad that she was doing his job.  The part that wanted to kiss her won out.  He wanted to kiss her real bad… amongst other things .
    “Thank you , Dana.  I owe you one,” he said before hanging up again.
    He called Bobby to let him know he was running late and then jumped in the shower.  A half an hour later they were out the door and headed for school and work.  Gretchen looked angry.  She knew he’d forgotten to make the cupcakes.  Nothing he could do about it now.
    As he walked Gretchen into her classroom, Dana got up from the table and headed over to him.  Her class now consisted of four boys and two other girls besides Gretchen who sat around the table.  He noticed Dana eye Gretchen and then stepping up next to him she turned to the class.
    “Kids, I want you all to thank Mr. McMurray for the cupcakes.  He had them delivered this morning for Gretchen’s birthday today ,” she said.
    The kids all sounded out their thanks and he felt Gretchen hug his leg and looking down he noticed her smiling up at him.
    “I thought you forgot Daddy!  Thank You!” she said before running over to sit down at the table.
    “You really saved my ass woman ,” he whispered to her. “Don’t make any plans for after tonight’s visit.”
    She looked at him and he watched her cheeks flush and her eyes seemed to change