A Promise for His Daughter by Danielle Thorne

Author:Danielle Thorne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-01-26T17:25:08+00:00

* * *

Bradley paced the family law office Donovan had recommended. He shot a glimpse at Claire across the waiting room. She was reading a magazine as if she didn’t have a care in the world, but the leg she’d crossed over the other bounced up and down like she felt anxious, too. Bradley wandered over and plopped down beside her where he’d started out. Her small hand dropped from the magazine onto his leg. “It’s going to be okay,” she promised him with a light pat. His heart calmed and tingled at the edges, but before he could take her hand into his, she slid it away.

Right. This was business. He folded his arms over his chest and squared his shoulders. “I’m just so nervous,” he murmured, although there was no one else in the room except the receptionist behind the counter.

Claire looked up from the French toast recipe she was reading. “It’s going to be fine. They have the DNA results, and I wrote everything out and had it notarized.” She gave him a little smile, but there was telltale color splotched on her cheeks. “This is just an interview, and they’ll tell us how to proceed.”

“Are you okay?” Bradley leaned close to whisper in her ear. “I know you love her—Emily, and all, but...”

Claire deflected with a, “We’ll figure those things out later.” She returned to the magazine and ignored him. Was it on purpose? Was she really afraid of losing Emily?

“We should have talked about it,” Bradley conceded, “before coming here. Your long-term expectations. Mine.” There were a lot of things they hadn’t discussed. Claire always acted so cheerful while she was on the go, but it seemed she kept a part of herself reserved behind a wall of solid rock. She’d said nothing after he’d almost kissed her in her studio. She’d also changed the subject whenever he’d wondered aloud how Emily would do in his loft above the pharmacy.

“When the house is finished...” he began again.

Claire looked up from her magazine. She was so close, he wanted to lean over and kiss her pert full lips. Bradley glanced at the silent receptionist and breathed impatiently.

“I think I can handle the rest of the paint inside,” Claire said conversationally. “The outside is another thing.”

Bradley mumbled, “Mmm-hmm,” but it was not at all what he wanted to talk about. Did she know he had feelings for her? Thinking about her when he was alone made him light-headed. Being with her in the same house even though they stayed busy with different projects made him feel at home, or at least, like he was in a place he was meant to be. “It looks amazing inside,” he complimented her. “You know I wish we’d kept the original floors in the kitchen, but I understand you wanted something more durable.”

“At least we didn’t pull them up,” pointed out Claire. “They’re still underneath should anyone want to see them someday.”

He gave a quiet chuckle. “So, about the exterior paint...”

She gave him a teasing grin.

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