The satisfaction I felt by hearing him say those words was a feeling I didn’t think I’d have.
“Thanks.”
“When you’re ready for me to come inside, you know where to find me.”
I nodded, instantly feeling relieved he was following through on our deal. Although, I knew he meant his statement as a double innuendo. “Okay.” I opened the door, but at the last second, I turned around. “Oh, and umm… thank you for allowing me to talk to Capri alone. I appreciate it and I know she will too.”
“I would have allowed it regardless of you coming in my mouth.”
My gaze snapped to the driver. “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
He chuckled. “I’ve driven for Mr. Locke for a long time. There’s nothing I haven’t heard.”
I shot Julian a questionable expression, wondering how many women he might have entertained in the back of his car.
“I have an extended office in San Diego as well.”
“Great, is there any state you don’t have an office in?”
“I own the world.”
“I see that.”
“And now I have a family to enjoy it with.”
“Julian, I’m not your family.”
“You’ve always been my home.”
I knew I wouldn’t win this argument with him, so I shut the door and made my way toward the entrance of my house. My heart was beating out of my chest, I had no idea what I was going to say or how I was going to say it to her. I figured it would be easier and smoother if I spoke from my heart and not a speech I had prepared.
Capri could always see through me, she had the same power as her dad. It was one of the reasons I moved from Texas to begin with. The older she got, the more she started to possess a lot of his traits or maybe it was obvious to me since I knew the truth.
His stubbornness.
His perceptiveness.
Having no filter.
She was wicked smart like him too. She even had some of his mannerisms, holding her fork in the same way he did, she was left-handed like him. Loved old classic cars like Julian.
It was surreal.
Capri had my appearance, but she was her father’s daughter in every other way. Pushing away those thoughts, I inhaled a solid breath as I unlocked the door and walked inside.
“Capri?” I called out, laying my purse on the entryway table.
“I’m in the kitchen with Emily, Momma!”
Quickly, I rushed into the kitchen. Excited to see my girl.
“Momma!” She jumped into my arms. “I missed you so much! I’m so happy you’re home early! I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow?”
I tightly squeezed her against my chest. My girl was getting so big. She’d be ten in a couple of months.
“I missed you, baby.” I kissed the top of her head.
“Momma, are you okay?” See, perceptive as all hell.
I nodded, glancing at Emily. “Thank you for everything.”
“Of course. I’ll let you two get reacquainted. I’m going to get the groceries for the week.”
“Oh, yeah… umm… you can just buy groceries for yourself. Capri and I won’t need anything.”
“We won’t?” Capri asked, looking up at me. “Are we going somewhere?”
I nervously laughed. “Something like that.”
“Sounds great,” Emily replied. “You can tell me all about when I get back.”
I smiled, and she left.
Giving my girl another big hug, I coaxed, “Baby, we need to talk.” Julian was waiting in the SUV, I didn’t have a lot of time to tell her what was going on, needing to get right to the point sooner rather than later.
“Am I in trouble?”
“No, you’re not in trouble, but what we need to talk about is serious, so let’s go in the living room and sit down.”
“Okay.”
Once we were sitting on the couch, I grabbed her hands in my lap.
“Momma, you look really pale. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Mmm-hmm… I’m just having a little trouble finding the right words to say.”
The concern was evident on her beautiful face. “What’s this about?”
“You know how I told you that I was taking on a client that I used to know?”
“Yeah, you spent the last week with him, right?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Is this about him?”
“Yes, baby, it is.”
“What is it? Do you like him or something? Because it wouldn’t bother me, Momma. I’d love to have a daddy. All my friends have daddies.”
“Honey.” I paused, needing a second. It absolutely killed me she missed out on having a father and was starting to feel his absence so profoundly. I tried my best, always playing both roles, but in the end… she longed for her dad. Making me feel intensely guilty I waited this long to tell him.
Maybe I was wrong?
Resisting the urge to cry, I pushed through. “On the topic of that, do you remember when you asked me about your dad?”
“Yeah. Why? Is this about him?”
“Yes, baby, it is.”
Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “Momma! Tell me! Please!”