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“They try to.”
If being a chef wasn’t a good enough profession for his family, she doubted a granddaughter whose mother was a struggling inn owner and had enough skeletons to fill said property would be accepted.
She closed her eyes.
“Ahhh!” Zoey screamed. Jasmine bolted forward, but once again Atlas had faster reflexes. A flash of grey rushed towards the sandpit as kids scattered. Atlas picked Zoey up and swung her out of the dog’s reach.
“Waffles, stop! Sit!” A young guy came bounding after the dog. He grabbed the dog’s collar. “I’m so sorry. She’s friendly and loves to play, but she thinks she’s still a small puppy.”
“Keep her on a leash next time when there are kids around, or get some proper training for her,” Atlas snapped, protectively shifting Zoey farther away. Zoey clung to his neck. He patted her back, soothingly. Was he even conscious of it?
“I’m sorry.” The dog owner pulled the excited pup towards the other end of the park as it barked and jerked, trying to get loose.
Jasmine reached out and rubbed circles on Zoey’s shoulders. “Are you okay, baby?”
She nodded.
Atlas’s eyes flicked to hers.
“Thank you,” she said.
“You’re welcome.”
“Why don’t we get going?” Jasmine suggested.
Atlas carried her sleepy and scared little girl back to the car. Jasmine buckled her in and climbed into the passenger seat. The smell of new leather was muted by Atlas’s clean scent as he reached over to put the radio on.
He drove through town, taking the long way. Soon the rhythmic deep breathing of a sleeping child reached her ears.
“This is a beautiful little place.”
“It is.” It had seen its fair share of storms, but still the sun rose.
“You ever want to go anywhere else?”
She licked her lips. “I would love to visit Korea one day, immerse myself in the culture, find the missing pieces of my past.”
“Would you move there?”
“No. I want to stay close to my family. The inn is my forever home.”
He paused a minute as if struggling with something before he asked, “Would you ever consider selling the inn if the price was right? You could make a mint off the land alone.”
She took a deep breath of fresh air. “No. This place is my hopes and dreams and everything I want to give my daughter all wrapped up in one home.”
He winced.
“What are we doing? Why are you helping me paint and taking my kid and me to lunch and the park?”
He looked out his window before staring back out the windshield. “I just like spending time with you . . . I feel like me when I’m with you.”
She nodded and closed her eyes. The steady vibration of the car relaxed her. They’d spent the day together like a real little family. He’d taken care of Zoey as a father should. But he didn’t know he was indeed her father, and once he did, this would be over.
Was it selfish of her to want to savor these last few days with him before she told him? If he walked away, Zoey would have some memories of her father, something Jasmine wanted so badly for herself. One less piece would be missing from her daughter’s life.
She peeked in the back where Zoey was fast asleep. This was not the time or the place, but in the next few days, she was going to have to tell him. She just hoped he wouldn’t punish Zoey for her crimes.
