A Daughter for Christmas by Margaret Daley Page B

check-up in a while. Iwant to make sure everything is all right.” She reached out to her daughter. “I’m concerned about you. You’re always upset and angry.”
    Taylor shrugged away from Rachel’s touch. “I’ll be fine now. Ashley told me about homeschooling. I can work at my own pace. I won’t feel so lost.”
    Something in her daughter’s expression doubled Rachel’s concern. “Yes, you’ll be able to, but you’ll have to work. Just because you won’t be in school doesn’t mean I don’t expect you to learn everything you need to.”
    â€œWhatever.” Taylor rolled over and presented her back to Rachel.
    She counted to ten, still wasn’t calm and headed straight for one hundred. Lord, I’m going to need lots of patience. I’ve always thought I had some, but now I don’t know if that’s true.
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    Finishing up with a patient, Max exited the exam room at his new office and nearly ran right into Rachel and Taylor. “Kevin said you and Taylor were coming in this morning. How did the appointment go?”
    The smile Rachel gave him warmed his insides. “It went well.”
    â€œThere’s nothing wrong with me,” Taylor said, then flounced down the hall.
    â€œThat’s good.” Max watched his daughter disappear through the doorway into the waiting room.
    â€œIt will be once we get into a routine. I’m starting home schooling this afternoon. Kevin diagnosed Taylor with ADHD. He gave me some stuff to read about it. Some tips for teaching her, which I’m very grateful for.”
    â€œHave you gotten a chance to read the book I gave you Sunday on ADD?”
    â€œYes. Good thing I’ve got support through Helping Hands Homeschooling Group and my sister doing this. I don’t think I could do it alone. And Kevin suggested the science class he teaches.”
    She might not know it, but he would be there to support her, too. “That’ll be good. He’s already recruited me to teach it the week after next. He’s going to a conference.”
    â€œGreat. I won’t have to deal with science then.”
    â€œShe’ll have homework.”
    â€œSomething my daughter doesn’t like to do. We’ve had battles over it at the kitchen table.” She glanced toward the direction of the waiting room. “What was I thinking? How is homeschooling going to be any different?”
    â€œYou guys sound like you need something fun to focus on. Tell you what. I’ll take you all out to dinner tonight to celebrate the first day. I owe you for helping me on Sunday.” He wanted to spend as much time with his daughter as possible.
    â€œSam and Will, too?”
    â€œSure.” Like a regular family dinner.
    â€œYou’re a brave soul.”
    â€œAre you warning me?”
    â€œYep, if we don’t pick a fast-food restaurant, I don’t know how long the boys will last.”
    He snapped his fingers. “I’ve got a better idea. I fix a great pizza. Why don’t you all come over to my house tonight at say six? You can now walk through the den. My boxes are only confined to the living room.”
    â€œAre you sure you’re up for this?”
    No, but there was no way he would tell her that. He hadn’t figured out how to get to know his daughter without being around Rachel. And if he got to know her well, how was he going to be able to tell her he wasTaylor’s biological father and he’d come to Tallgrass to be a parent to his only child? If he wanted to be in Taylor’s life, he didn’t have a choice.
    â€œYes, or I wouldn’t have offered,” he finally said as he began walking toward the waiting room with Rachel.
    When she got to the entrance, a frown crinkled her brow. “Where’s Taylor?” She took several more steps and made a slow circle.
    â€œMaybe she went to the car?” Although his voice was