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And suddenly she was a little girl again, her dad once again the prince rescuing her from a broken heart. With a choked sob, she embraced him, holding on like she had done a thousand times when she was a kid. For the first time in a long time, her burden seemed lighter, her solitude less. Life just seemed… kinder. "Thank you, Daddy."
"No, thank you," he replied softly.
That was unexpected."What for?"
He looked at her with stoic eyes. "For not giving up on me. For telling me not to give up on life, for visiting even when I shut myself in that room. You might have thought I wasn’t listening, but I was. When I heard about your relationship, I realized how little I knew about your life, and that isn't right. I haven't been very fair… or understanding.”
“Your life is yours to live, the choices yours to make. I want to be part of your life, and not while sitting in a room smelling like medicine and mildew. I'm ready to start living life, and to accept yours, and I'll start by helping in any way I can. Not by telling you what to do, but by listening."
A ray of sunshine edged its way into Laura's heart, pushing aside years of pain. "Thank you.” She hesitated. “But there's no hope. I betrayed him and…"
"Well, isn't that a bunch of hogwash."
Laura started. "What?"
"You didn't betray that boy. You did what was necessary to protect your daughter. I reckon most mothers would have done the same thing, and most fathers for that matter. In fact, I bet Mr. Billionaire CEO would have acted precisely the same way if he had been in your shoes. He's just too angry to see it right now. But don't worry, he'll get over it, and everything will be as it should."
Laura shook her head. "I just don't see how that can happen."
"Didn’t you just admit you love him?"
Her breath caught on the denial that simply wouldn’t come. With a gulp of courage, she nodded the truth.
"And he loves you."
This time, her denial was immediate, yet her father interrupted it, with a wave of his hand. "Of course, he does. Even I can tell by the way he looks at you. In a week he’s discovered he’s a father and the woman he loved was keeping it from him. He’s probably afraid to believe you really love him, perhaps even afraid of losing you. But–” He held up his hand. “The man loves you. Are you ready to give that up, or are you going to fight for him?"
The words slammed into her, washing away the self-pity, the anguish, the doubt. Why had she given up so easily, succumb to a pity party with balloons and guests and half-eaten chocolate? It was time to take control of her life.
Time to fight for what she wanted.
Without a word more, she strode to the phone. "That's my girl." Her father smiled proudly, as she lifted the cell and dialed the number she knew by heart. Aidan answered on the first ring.
She didn’t wait for him to speak. "There's something we need to discuss."
"I agree," he replied smoothly, "Something very important."
Laura's heart skidded to a stop, paused to consider, then resumed with a giant thump. What did he mean? Something about Jeanie, about her? She forged on, "I’d like to go first. I need to expl–"
"No, wait."
The response dried in her throat. "Wait?"
"I'll be there in five."
The line clicked dead.
Aidan did not hesitatefor a second. Nothing, and no one, would keep him fromhisfamily. He made it to the car in five minutes, peeled out of the parking lot in six. It was time to claim what was his.
He was grateful he had returned to Pine Ridge early. Although this week had been amazing – fatherhood was everything he had hoped for and more – still something was missing.
He knewwhothat something was.
Staying away from Laura had been a knife to his heart. He’d been so furious when he discovered she was hiding his daughter, and believed she had done so from the very beginning. But when fury subsided and logic took hold, not only did her story make sense but it seemed likely. The clinic receptionist confirmed Laura had only recently searched for Jeanie's father after a medical crisis. And what mother wouldn't protect her child? She’d made every effort to get to know him and had been poised to share Jeanie's paternity when he discovered the truth. In her position, he wouldn’t have done anything different.
Yet fury had blinded him, so he couldn't even listen to her declaration of love. Through the week, he’d been so numb, yet his feelings hadn’t changed, nor had his resolve. As the days passed and the anger faded, he finally saw the destiny that could be theirs. Even in his greatest fury, he still planned a future with her. He'd told himself it was to be near to his daughter, and that was partly true, but when he peeled through the layers of emotion, he admitted the truth.
He loved her.
