Eden Burning with Bonus Material by Elizabeth Lowell

Author:Elizabeth Lowell
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780062208866
Publisher: HarperCollins US
Published: 2001-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Chase sat by the open window of his own cottage and listened to the thunder of drums rolling through the darkness. He wished he could see Nicole dance but knew it was better this way. Less painful.

If he saw her, he would be forced to face how much he wanted her. With every drumbeat, every heartbeat, he measured his own emptiness.

“Daddy?”

Turning, Chase saw Lisa standing uncertainly in the doorway of her bedroom. He held out his arms and smiled.

“Having trouble sleeping, punkin?”

“Can’t.”

He smiled at the echo of Benny in her short answer.

As Lisa hurried to him across the wooden floor, the fanciful creatures on her nightgown looked like they were taking flight. Chase had seen the pale silk and golden fairies in a store window and had thought instantly of his elfin daughter. The delighted smile on her face when she opened her present tonight told him he was right.

“Drums keeping you awake?” he asked, lifting and settling Lisa’s slight weight in his lap.

“Kinda.”

“Just kinda? Kinda isn’t enough to keep you awake. What else is kinda nibbling on you?”

Eyes as clear as rainwater looked up at him. Though she tried to sound brave, her lips trembled. “I woke up and thought you were gone. Really gone. Like Mother.”

With aching throat and stinging eyes, Chase stroked Lisa’s black hair, so like his own. And her need to be loved. That, too, was like him. Lynette hadn’t understood love, hadn’t needed it, hadn’t given it, hadn’t even known it existed.

“Never-never,” he said huskily. “I love you, Lisa. When I go back to the mainland on business, I’ll try to take you. If there are times when I can’t, then Jan will kidnap you and hold you hostage until I get back.”

Lisa giggled at the thought of her aunt kidnapping her. She snuggled against her father. “Love you, Daddy.”

“Love you, too, Lisa.” He kissed her hair, felt her cuddle closer, and thanked God that Lynette had decided she didn’t want to play mommy after all.

“Stay up?” Lisa asked.

“Sure, punkin. Anything else keeping you awake?”

She shook her head. Fine, silky hair tickled his throat.

“If you think of anything, I’m here,” he said. “That’s what daddies are for. Listening.”

“And hugs.”

“Hugs,” he agreed. And did.

Lisa’s gentle presence eased some of the pain within Chase. For a time he and his daughter simply sat and listened to the urgent drums throbbing in the darkness. He believed now that Nicole didn’t have anyone to kiss her hair and hug her and reassure her. She was alone in the same way he had been alone in the courtroom, stunned and disbelieving as he lost everything he loved at the stroke of a judge’s gavel.

He wanted to go to Nicole, comfort her as gently as he was comforting Lisa.

He wanted to be comforted in the same way.

“Daddy?”

“Hmmm?”

“Nicole dancing?”

His eyelids closed against a sharp stab of pain. “Probably.”

“But she told the club she didn’t want to dance tonight.” Like Bobby, Nicole had plenty of words for what was important. “Was it a white lie?”

“Maybe she changed her mind about dancing.

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