Parentmoon

www.lbdunbar.com Copyright © 2023 Laura Dunbar L.B. Dunbar Writes, Ltd. https://www.lbdunbar.com/ All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner. Cover Design: Jillian Liota/Blue Moon Creative Studio Photograph Cover – Photographer: Golden Czermak/Furious Fotog Photograph Model: Nathan Belanger-LeCloux Editor: Nicole McCurdy/Emerald Edits Editor: Gemma Brocato Proofreader: Karen Fischer Table of Contents Other Books by L.B. Dunbar Dedication Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Epilogue Epilogue 2 More by L.B. Dunbar About the Author Connect with L.B. Dunbar Other Books by L.B. Dunbar Scrooge-ish Road Trips & Romance Hauling Ashe Merging Wright Rhode Trip Lakeside Cottage Living at 40 Loving at 40 Learning at 40 Letting Go at 40 The Silver Foxes of Blue Ridge Silver Brewer Silver Player Silver Mayor Silver Biker Silver Fox Former Rock Stars After Care Midlife Crisis Restored Dreams Second Chance Wine&Dine Collision novellas Collide Caught Rom-com for the over 40 The Sex Education of M.E. The Heart Collection Speak from the Heart Read with your Heart Look with your Heart Fight from the Heart View with your Heart A Heart Collection Spin-off The Heart Remembers BOOKS IN OTHER AUTHOR WORLDS Smartypants Romance (an imprint of Penny Reid) Love in Due Time Love in Deed Love in a Pickle The World of True North (an imprint of Sarina Bowen) Cowboy Studfinder THE EARLY YEARS The Legendary Rock Star Series The Legend of Arturo King The Story of Lansing Lotte The Quest of Perkins Vale The Truth of Tristan Lyons The Trials of Guinevere DeGrance Paradise Stories Abel Cain The Island Duet Redemption Island Return to the Island Modern Descendants – writing as elda lore Hades Solis Heph Dedication For Tommy and Edie – fictional characters in After Care. Thank you for being my first. And special shout out to Tina S. for sharing that Instagram reel. (You’ll know what I’m talking about when you reach the end). Prologue The Hello Day April My son is getting married. He hasn’t officially delivered this news, but I have a sneaky suspicion the announcement is coming soon. A good suspicion fueled by mother’s intuition and my son’s bouncing leg beneath the table. We sit inside The Belmont, an upscale downtown restaurant with an opulent and romantic atmosphere. Dark wood accents and soft flickering candles set the mood. The location overlooks the Chicago River and is the perfect place to pop the question, if Michael hasn’t already. I couldn’t be happier. I adore Keli. What I’m more anxious about is meeting her father, the famous Dallas Cole. Michael can’t stop raving about him. He’s worldly, wealthy, and wildly good looking. The evidence rests in pictures of him. With silver patches in his beard, he has more hair on his firm jaw than his head. The combination of white and black on his chin is a buffalo check gone awry. A pattern you want to rub against your skin for comfort. He’s nearly bald with a thin layer of fuzz on his head but that does not detract from how gorgeous he is. I’ve also been told—warned, perhaps—that he’s a player. I’m not concerned. I’m a divorced single mom who knows how to handle a man like him. It’s simple. Don’t handle him. A wily fox once led me down a rabbit hole of unhappiness. I won’t be fooled by this sexy silver one. As Dallas was never married to Keli’s mother, I’ll be meeting her another time. Michael stands as Keli approaches our table on her father’s arm. With a quick glance at Dallas, I catch a view of his eyes. Photographs have not done the deep-set blue of them justice. Dallas Cole is stunning in a Graham McTavish slash Dougal Mackenzie from Outlander sort of way. If he has a Scottish accent, I’ll be a puddle on the floor. Resistance, be damned. Instead, his Southern drawl catches me like a lightning strike down my center. “Jo Hudson, it’s a pleasure to meet you, darlin’.” His heavy hand is warm as we clasp palms and I shiver despite the heat of his touch. Warning bells go off in my head while a girlish giggle catches in my throat at the endearment. My body is instantly a traitor to my decree to resist him and my heart does a little skip at the tenderness in a silly word. “Nice to meet you as well, Dallas.” As I stand, Dallas leans in for a cheek kiss. The action is forward of him, but I’m the one who overreacts, certain my face is flaming red. The attention is something I’m not used to. Then again, he’s only trying to make an impression because I’m Michael’s mother. After holding out my chair like a practiced gentleman, Dallas takes a seat to my left while Keli sits across from me. Michael and she have already greeted one another with a chaste kiss but I’m certain they’re holding hands beneath the table. My son is romantic, sweet, and genuine, despite his lackluster father. He’s everything opposite Craig, who lacked loyalty and respect as a husband, and patience and dedication as a dad. While wine