The Soldier's Surprise Family by Jolene Navarro Page B

the mess.”
    â€œShe’s right. The dogs can learn to stay in a certain area while we eat. Do you think you could teach Selena to mind her manners?”
    Rio sat up and nodded. Garrett went to the kitchen and called Selena to him. With her head lowered, she followed.
    Anjelica smiled. “It looks as if she’s decided to trust your dad.” She ruffled Rio’s curls.
    With a huff, Selena lay on the kitchen mat and watched every movement he made. Bumper sat next to her.
    Everyone went back to eating.
    Garrett glanced around the table. Family, his family. Time and experience proved he was no family man—he had no clue how to be part of a real family.
    What if he let these kids down, like his father had done? Or worse, not take care of them in a world that was unstable. The one time he’d needed to protect a kid, he hadn’t been able to. And the result had been devastating. Garrett locked his jaw. He was not going back there, couldn’t afford to. That was Afghanistan.
    His son needed him. He wouldn’t let this kid down, too. He didn’t know how, but he was going to be a better father than the man who’d left him.
    Kenneth R. Kincaid had taught him one thing: a real father never walked away from the people who were counting on him. Garrett had messed up the first few years of his son’s life, but he was here now and nothing was going to get between him and these two kids who needed him. Nothing.
    * * *
    Anjelica gathered the plates off the table.
    â€œSo what do we do now?” Sitting between his new son and daughter, Garrett looked as lost as Rio.
    â€œWell, you can have some family time in the living room. Pilar can play on a blanket to build up her strength. I think they would enjoy listening to your music.”
    â€œI read online that young kids should be in bed by eight or eight thirty. Then another site said they have internal clocks and know when they need sleep, so a parent shouldn’t force a bedtime. What do you think?”
    She smiled, biting back the urge to laugh at his uncertain expression. He seemed so vulnerable. “You’re the parent. How do you want to set up expectations?”
    He picked up Pilar. “Growing up, I didn’t have a bedtime.”
    Pilar closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into Garrett’s neck. He rested his cheek against the top of her head. “One of the things I loved about the military was the routine. An eight-thirty bedtime? What about it, Rio?” He laid his hand on top of his son’s head.
    The little boy crossed his arms and pulled away, looking in the opposite direction.
    Her heart twisted at the injured look on Garrett’s face. “Eight thirty would be a good time. You’ll be fine. All parents struggle trying to figure this out.”
    Garrett patted the baby’s back, his large hands making her look small. “What about baths? She seems too little to put in a tub.”
    â€œI could help you give them baths tonight. There’s a seat to use in the bath for her. You set up a routine, and they’ll start counting on it.”
    Garrett nodded. “Routines are good. When I’m at work, they’ll have the same schedule with you, right?”
    â€œThat’s the idea.” Drying her hands, she turned to face the table. As she leaned against the counter, her heart reeled at the matching expressions on father and son.
    Backs straight, they had the same stern look. She knew right then that she was in danger.
    â€œCome on, guys—Rio and Pilar have a new room to explore. Let’s go check it out.”
    They spent the next twenty minutes trying to get him to play in their room. Garrett even read a couple of books with Pilar in his lap as he sat cross-legged on the floor. Oh yeah, she was in trouble.
    Falling in love with the children was a risk she was willing to take, but Garrett was not on her list of eligible men. Not only did he risk his life every time he