Sweeter Than Sunshine (Sweeter in the City Book 2) by Miles Olivia

Author:Miles, Olivia [Miles, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Rosewood Press
Published: 2016-03-08T05:00:00+00:00

***

The phone call came just as Ben was pulling to a stop in front of the apartment building. He knew it was her before he even glanced at the screen. Anger coursed through his blood when he saw the name, and he connected the call with the punch of his thumb.

“It’s about time,” was all he said. He glanced in the rearview mirror. Violet was sound asleep, her snores soft over her steady breath. “You missed her birthday, Dana,” he hissed. “You missed her birthday.”

“If you knew the day I had—”

“I don’t really care about the day you had,” he said, his voice catching with fresh anger. “I care about the little girl who waited all day for the phone to ring. She’s asleep.”

“Can you wake her?”

He wanted to say no, teach his ex a lesson once and for all, but he didn’t want to break his daughter’s heart any more than it had already been broken. “I’ll have her call you back in five minutes,” he said, and disconnected the call.

Cursing under his breath, he climbed out of the car and came around to Violet’s side. She protested when he tried to rouse her, but as soon as he told her that her mother had called, her eyes sprung open wide.

“We’ll call her back once we’re inside,” he promised.

He sighed heavily as Violet ran all the way to the building and up the three flights of stairs to the door. Once she was settled on the couch, he dialed the number and handed her the phone. He closed his eyes at her squeal of joy when the call went through.

He didn’t know why it continued to disappoint him. Why it was okay for Dana to come and go, to break promises, to break hearts. That she was rewarded by the simple efforts, by material objects, as if love could be bought, not just earned.

He shook away the thought. Dana was her mother. Violet should adore her. But it didn’t stop him from wanting more for his daughter.

While Violet chatted away about school and her friends, Ben wrote out a check for Mary, chastising himself for taking this long to get it to her. He was overwhelmed, stressed, and not entirely himself these days. But that was no excuse. The truth was he had thought about Mary. More than he should. And he’d been resisting another encounter with her, resisting the way he felt when he was around her.

He opened his door and stood in the small hallway, listening for any signs of life behind the solid wood door that divided his world from hers.

With any luck he could just slip it under her door. Transaction made. Business finished.

Just in case, he tapped on the door. Softly.

He held his breath. No sound. Ignoring the twinge of disappointment, he crouched to slide the check when the door swung open. Ben glanced up, his eyes latching onto bare legs that he traced as he brought himself to a standing position. Mary’s eyes were bright and inquisitive, her full lips pulled into a small smile.

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