Dad's E-Mail Order Bride by Candy Halliday - Alaska Bound 01 - Dad's E-Mail Order Bride Page B

Peg I’d take down the party decorations this morning. Did you forget about that, too?” She elbowed the sleeping form beside her. “And Tiki’s going to help me. Right, Tiki?”
    Tiki only grunted at the sound of her name.
    “I did forget about that,” he said.
    “Obviously,” Rachel said, sitting up. “You have that scared-to-death look on your face again.”
    “I do not.”
    “Yes, you do, Dad. Like last night when you thought I was sleeping over at Tiki’s. Why are you so afraid to be alone with Courtney?”
    “I thought we cleared that up,” he said. “I’m not afraid to be alone with Courtney.”
    “Then stop acting like you’re four instead of forty. Courtney isn’t going to try to make out with you, Dad. She doesn’t even feel that way about you. She asked me after we got home last night to stop trying to force you guys together. I thought you would have figured out you were safe when she didn’t want to be alone with you last night.”
    The tips of his ears were bright red.
    That only happened when he was upset about something.
    “I suggest you drop the attitude,” he warned. “And whether you’re going with us or not, I still expect you to be ready for breakfast in thirty minutes.”
    He walked out of her bedroom and closed the door.
    Rachel crossed her arms in an angry sulk. At least her dad had given up on his stupid idea to make her cook. She just couldn’t understand why he had to make such a big deal out of everything.
    No wonder Courtney wasn’t interested in him.
    Courtney liked to have a good time. Not a good match for her dad’s drill-sergeant mentality. And that thought made Rachel incredibly sad.
    If someone like Courtney couldn’t snap her dad back to his senses and make him see life was passing him by every day he remained secluded in Port Protection, no one could. And that meant she was right back in the same hopeless situation she’d been in before Courtney arrived.
    Three more dreadful years, Rachel thought with a sigh before she nudged Tiki with her elbow again. “Wake up. We have to make an appearance at breakfast before we go take down the decorations.”
    Tiki sat up, rubbing her eyes. When she did, Broadway wagged his tail from the bottom of the bed.
    “Did Plan B work?” Tiki asked with a yawn. “Are your dad and Courtney going alone?”
    “Yeah,” Rachel said, “but Plan B doesn’t matter now. You heard Courtney tell me to stop trying to force them together. It means she’s not interested in Dad.”
    Tiki yawned again and said, “Do you want me to ask the spirit guides for help?”
    “You know I don’t believe in all that spirit stuff, Tiki. But sure. Go for it.”
    Tiki assumed a cross-legged sitting position, held both arms out, leaned her head back and closed her eyes. A few seconds later, her eyes popped back open.
    Rachel frowned. “That’s it?”
    Tiki nodded and uncrossed her legs.
    “Well? What did you say?”
    “I’m not allowed to tell a nonbeliever what I told the spirit guides,” Tiki said with a smug smirk.
    Broadway barked in agreement with Tiki’s statement.

    S O , HE WAS SAFE .
    Good. Graham was glad. And after Courtney left, he wouldn’t feel as if he were on a roller-coaster ride every minute of the day.
    He had just finished placing the griddle on the stove and was busy stirring the pancake batter when Courtney appeared in the kitchen.
    She was gorgeous.
    Even with her hair still damp from her shower, wearing a simple sweater, jeans and very little makeup, she was beautiful. The best part was she didn’t seem to realize it.
    “That was quick,” Graham told her.
    “I hurried so I could help,” she said. “While you fix breakfast, I thought I could pack a few things for lunch.” She walked to the pantry. “Is Tiki going with us, too? Or is it just you, me and Rachel?”
    Graham quickly averted his gaze back to the pancake batter. “I’m afraid it’s just you and me. Rachel and Tiki have to take down the party