Unexpectedly Mine (Birch Crossing Book 1) by Stephanie Rowe

Author:Stephanie Rowe [Rowe, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780988656604
Publisher: SBD Press
Published: 2013-11-21T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Griffin couldn't believe how tall Brooke was. How grown-up. How beautiful. Her brown hair was long now, tossed over her shoulders. She was wearing crisp new jeans, ones bearing the logo of In Your Face's stiffest competitor. Her shirt was like Katie's, a little too snug, and she was wearing blue eye shadow. She was almost a woman, this girl. This amazing girl. His daughter. For a split second, his throat tightened and his chest constricted, and all he wanted to do was tear across the grass and scoop her up in his arms like he'd done so many times when she was little.

He even took a step toward her, and she stiffened, freezing him right where he was. "Brooke," he said. He had no idea what to say. He didn't want to scare her, or drive her away. Could he hug her? Tell her he missed her? He hadn't devised a plan yet. He had no strategy. Just an ache in his chest. "What are you doing here?" he finally asked, at a loss of how to approach her, how to bridge the void.

"Dan's brother plays for the Angels," Brooke said. She stared at him as if she'd never seen him before. "You threw a grapefruit."

Griffin hesitated. Was that bad? "Um... yeah..."

"But you would never throw a grapefruit. You would never even play softball." Brooke's brow was furrowed. "All you do is work. I don't understand why you're here. Playing softball." Her gaze slithered to Clare. "Kissing a woman in public."

Was that good or bad? Griffin swore under his breath. He had no idea what to say. How to respond.

"Your dad is changing," Clare said gently. "He doesn't always work anymore."

"Really?" Brooke looked at Clare. "So, he changed for you? And not for us?"

"No." Griffin stepped forward. He had to take control of the conversation. He had to take advantage of this moment, this chance to talk to her. "Listen, Brooke, I miss you. I'm up here because I want you to come home with me. Back to Boston."

Brooke gave him a look of disgusted disbelief. "And do what all day while you work? Who will do my homework with me? Who will come to my school play? Will you?"

Griffin ground his jaw. "I'll try—"

"You always try." Brooke's jaw jutted out in that familiar look he'd seen so many times, and suddenly she didn't look like a young woman anymore. She looked like the little girl he'd held on his knee and read stories to. Young. Breakable. Fragile. "But work always comes first with you. The softball is a lie." She looked at Clare, anger flashing in her eyes. "Don't believe it. He'll burn you."

"Brooke!" Griffin reached for her, but she sidestepped his attempt.

"Dad." Brooke took a deep breath. "I want to change my name."

Griffin frowned, trying to adjust to the change in topic. "You don't like Brooke?"

"No, I don't like Friesé." She lifted her chin. "I want to change my last name to Burwell. I want to be Brooke Burwell.

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