Delinquent Daddy (Banks / Kincaid Family #2)(12)

"No, he is not Montgomery Kincaid," she said, voice stern and face set so she looked like a disappointed mother. "Now, answer my question. Did you write this letter or not?"

Boston nearly rolled his eyes. Of course she'd written the letter. They all knew she'd written the damn letter. Why in the world was Ellie beating a dead horse?

Instead of answering, however, Cassie pooched her lower lip in displeasure. She looked up at him with the saddest, gravest expression he'd ever seen. "He's not Montgomery Kincaid? Then who is he?"

He was tempted to say that yeah, sure, he was Monty. At that moment, he'd say anything to put that excited gleam back into her eyes.

"I'm Boston," he croaked, sounding like a complete ninny because he wished he was who she wanted him to be.

"Monty's my brother."

His daughter blinked, digesting that news. The slow sweep of those long lashes reminded him so much of Ellie, his guts knotted. God, he did not need a reminder she was half Ellie's too. It brought up all sorts of images of how she'd been conceived, making his chest constrict with a crazy, regretful ache.

If only he'd played his cards right ten years ago. If only he'd been a half-decent person, these two females would be his closest family right now; they'd probably be his entire life.

51

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

They wouldn't be strangers standing across an unfamiliar kitchen and staring at him with similar stares of wary distrust.

"But why didn't he come?" Cassidy asked, tugging Boston back to the situation at hand. She turned expectantly toward her mother. "I wrote my letter to Montgomery Kincaid, not—"

"Cassidy," Ellie cut in, setting her hands on the girl's shoulder and turning her so they were facing each other.

She moistened her lips, and Boston held his breath, realizing this was the moment. She was going to announce the truth. He felt like Darth Vader. A deep voice was going to proclaim, "Luke, I am your father." And little Cassidy Diane Trenton was going to be shocked to her toes.

But instead of confessing his paternity, Ellie said, "Go change out of your clothes. Take your bath and we'll talk about this when you're clean."

Boston exhaled, half relieved, half disappointed.

"But I'm not supposed to take my bath until eight thirty."

Cassie protested, sending a mutinous look Boston's way. "And what about supper? Supper's always at six."

"I think you'll live if we do things out of order for one night."

"But—"

"Right now, young lady," Ellie cut in.

Cassie glared at her mother a moment in protest before she caved and flung her long black hair over her shoulder as she spun away to stomp from the room.

Boston watched her disappear from sight. His eyes felt glued opened as he stared at the spot where he'd last seen 52

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

her. His daughter. He'd just met his nine-year-old daughter.

And all he'd said was, "I'm Boston."

God.

His legs gave out and his body sagged. He hadn't realized he'd backed himself against Ellie's cupboards until he reached behind him and caught hold of her countertop for support.

"Boston?"

He looked up, but the closer Ellie stepped, the further away she seemed to get. She reached out like she might comfort him. But she pulled her hand back at the last moment as if realizing what she was about to do.

For a split second, he wished she'd touch him. He ached for some of her sympathy. Hell, he wanted to wrap her in his arms and smell nothing but her hair, soaking up all the comfort he could get. Did she still use that lavender-scented shampoo?

Boston laughed bitterly and wiped at mist that had gotten caught in his eye. There were more important things to ponder here. His daughter was just down the hall, taking a bath.

"She looks just like my mom," was all he could think to say.

Instead of replying, Ellie pulled out a chair and motioned to it. He sat and lifted his face, but she turned away before he was ready for her to leave. She returned seconds later with a glass of ice water. He realized the drink was for him when she set it next to him on the table. Automatically, he drank.

53

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

The water cleared his head as much as it did his throat. He gulped every last drop and closed his eyes when he finally had to lower the glass.

"Are you okay?" Ellie asked, moving another foot away as if he might be contagious. "You look like you're going to throw up."

He kind of felt like he might.

"I..." He tried to tell her he was fine. But the words that came out sounded a lot more like, "I didn't think it'd be like this."

He touched his chest, wondering if he was having a heart attack. "To see her for the first time," he added. "I didn't think I'd feel so...I can't breathe." He tugged frantically at the top button of his collar only to realize it was already unbuttoned.

"What do you say to a nine-year-old?" He didn't know the first thing about kids, especially nine-year-old girls. Sure he had nieces and nephews, but this was totally different. This was his child.

Automatically, he looked to Ellie for help. But as much as he wanted to beg for her comfort, he wanted to keep yelling at her too. She'd lied to him and purposefully kept his daughter from him.