Chapter 20 #2
“Yes, something pretty big that can’t be put off. I’m going to have to go out of town for the next few days. I have some legal matters to attend to.”
“But we had an appointment to see Judge Stowe tomorrow morning,” she protested. “Can you put things off until after we’ve seen him?”
Stowe was supposed to officiate at their wedding. Chance didn’t have a clue how to tell Summer they were no longer going to go through with their plans.
“Cancel it,” he said brusquely. “I’ll be gone until late Thursday or Friday morning. Then we’ll need to talk.”
“Chance, is something wrong? You know you can tell me anything.”
His heart ached as he said, “I promise we’ll talk come Friday.”
She sighed. “I guess we won’t be getting married this weekend. Well, let me know how things are going in the meantime.”
“I’m going to be pretty tied up with business. We’ll talk later, Summer.”
He ended the call before she could press him any further, tears stinging his eyes.
He loved Summer more than anything and hated hurting her, but Daisy had to be his chief priority.
He needed to build a relationship with his daughter.
Make her understand that she was safe with him.
That he wasn’t going anywhere and neither was she.
Introducing Summer into the child’s life would only further confuse her, and he would have trouble shifting his focus from Daisy to Summer.
He couldn’t ask Summer to become an instant mother to a child she’d never seen before. It wouldn’t be fair.
He had to let her go.
“Are you hungry, Daisy?” he asked, pushing aside thoughts of Summer.
The little girl nodded.
“Well, let’s find us some dinner,” he said cheerfully, a smile on his face. Chance didn’t want his gloom transferring to Daisy.
“What do you like to eat?” He began looking around the kitchen. “I’ve got grapes. Bananas. Apples.”
“Nana,” she said. “And cheese.”
He took a banana from the bunch and found string cheese in the fridge, something Summer liked, which caused his heart to ache. He peeled open the banana and held it to Daisy. She took a tiny bite and he praised her.
“Good girl.”
Chance let her eat half the banana and realized she didn’t have anything to wash it down with. Maria had said juice was too sweet and bad for teeth, so he should stick with milk or water.
“Would you like some water to drink? Or milk?”
“Milk,” she said decisively, and he filled a cup half full. He would need to buy cups and plates for her. Small little forks and spoons. His head was spinning, knowing how little he knew. At least he could get online and read about how to raise a child.
His child …
He looked down at Daisy, seeing it was obvious that she was a part of him.
Her dark hair and unique gray eyes were only two things that gave away the fact she was his daughter.
Daisy also had his same nose. Even his lips.
He knew the more he was around her, the more he would see of himself in her.
Once again, love washed over him. It had been instant. Fierce. Possessive.
And he would do anything for his child.
He peeled off a string of the cheese and gave it to her. She studied it carefully and then ate it slowly, saying, “Mmm” a couple of times.
He better start a grocery list. Maria had told him some of the things that Luna and Matteo had liked at Daisy’s age. Yogurt. Applesauce. Animal crackers.
Chance took her into the den and held her in his lap, singing to her as she gripped her bear.
Maria had mentioned two kids’ songs, so those were the first two he tried out.
It was obvious that she didn’t know either tune.
He also sang London Bridge is Falling Down and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star .
After he finished with Twinkle , she said, “Again,” so he repeated it seven times in a row.
Much to his delight, Daisy started chiming in on the fourth time around, letting him know that she could learn quickly and most likely would be eager to do so.
Then Chance told her about the ranch.
“We’ll go see the horses tomorrow. The cattle. Even the chickens. Do you know how a chicken goes?”
Daisy shook her head, so he clucked. He kept clucking until she joined in.
Then he started mentioning different animals.
A cow. Dog. Cat. Lion. Pig. Each time, he would make the noise that animal made, and his daughter imitated him.
Chance couldn’t wait to buy books for her so he could show her different animals.
Colors. Shapes. A whole world was waiting for her to learn about, and he was ready to get started and make up for lost time.
Daisy yawned noisily, and he asked, “Are you sleepy?”
“Sleepy,” she echoed, yawning again.
He took her upstairs to his bedroom and set the bear on the bed before he removed her clothes, thinking he should also change her diaper so that she would have a dry one to sleep in. He couldn’t leave her alone and decided she would sleep in bed with him.
Drawing back the covers, he placed her on the pillow and handed her the bear.
“What’s your bear’s name?” he asked softly.
She shrugged. It broke his heart that Astrid had not even taken the time to help her name her only toy.
“Let’s call him Teddy, okay?”
“Teddy,” she repeated, nodding, a smile appearing on her face.
Chance looked at her and said, “And I’m Daddy. Can you say Daddy?”
Timidly, Daisy whispered, “Daddy.”
“That’s right. I’m your daddy. You’re going to live with me from now on, here at Blackstone Ranch. We’re going to play together. Eat together. Do everything together. Would you like that?”
Daisy nodded, another big yawn coming out.
“Okay, kiddo. Time for sleep. Close your eyes. Daddy will be right here with you.” He smiled gently at her. “Daddy loves you. Daddy loves Daisy.”
She looked at him a long moment, then her eyes drooped. But Chance heard the words she whispered as she fell into sleep.
“I love Daddy.”