If I Didn't Know Better (The Callaways #9)(53)

"Have you ever had it out with him? A no-holds-barred, hard-truth kind of conversation?"

"No. I haven't felt the need."

"Really? It seems like there's so much unfinished business between you. The other day when he came into the café, the air was so tense. It was like you both had things you wanted to say, but you didn't know where to start."

"I tried to talk to him when I first came here. I told you how that turned out."

"Maybe you should make another attempt."

"Why?"

"Because he's your father."

"So what?" Jeremy shook his head. "I know you're an optimist, Mia, and that's a nice trait, but I don't believe people change just because you want them to. They are who they are. And I learned what family was all about when I got into the Army. It's the people who stand by you and stand up for you that matter."

"I get that, but I do believe people can change, not because you want them to, but because they want to."

"My father doesn't want to."

"He might when he realizes he's not just missing an opportunity to be part of your life but also Ashlyn's life."

"I can't let him mess up her life the way he did mine. And she's frightened of everything. His loud voice would probably set her back."

"That will change. She's getting better."

"Well, I'm not going to deal with him right now, and I think we've seen enough of the old homestead." He put the car into drive. "Let's go home."

A few minutes later, he parked in the driveway.

"Do you need any help getting Ashlyn into the house?" she asked.

"No. I'll carry her inside and then come out and unload the rest of the stuff." He paused. "I know I promised that Ash and I would help you with cleanup, so as soon as she's had a nap, we'll come over."

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. There's always tomorrow."

"A deal is a deal. Besides, I don't know if I can go the rest of the night without seeing you."

She shook her head in bemusement. "How is it you're still single when you know just the right thing to say?"

"It's not a line, Mia. I'm speaking from the heart." His eyes turned serious. "You're amazing. I've never met anyone like you."

Her heart skipped a beat at his warm gaze. "Thank you. Anyway, I'm going to go. You know where I'll be."

"Okay, one second." He cast a quick glance toward the backseat, and then turned his gaze back to hers. "One kiss?"

She leaned over and kissed his mouth, wishing for far more than the quick, teasing taste of him. Then she got out of the car and quietly closed the door while Jeremy took his sleepy daughter into his arms and carried her into the house.

She smiled as she watched them go, thinking that in sleep Ashlyn was more than happy to put her arms around Jeremy's neck. She was slowly coming to trust him. That trust would only get stronger.

She opened her door and walked inside. As she paused by the hall mirror to set down her keys, she saw her reflection and couldn't help thinking that the light in her eyes and red in her cheeks had as much to do with Jeremy as it did with her long day in the sun.

What was she going to do about him?

He was weaving his way into her heart. She'd told herself that it was just a summer fling, something light and fun...but it felt like so much more than that. And Jeremy wasn't helping with his compliments and his unmistakable desire for her.

But where could this go? Both of their lives were completely up in the air.

Which was why she needed this to just be a summer romance.

She'd go back to her life; he'd go back to his. And they'd just have a great memory.

That thought was completely depressing, so she decided maybe she'd just stay living in the happier present for now.

She went upstairs, walked into the bathroom and stripped off her clothes. A shower would cool her down and clear her mind.

An hour later, she'd changed into clean shorts and a shirt and decided it was too nice of an evening to stay inside. Plus, what she really needed to do was start organizing the paintings and make sure she had everything out of the studio that might be part of her planned exhibition.

On her way to the stairs, she paused in front of Carly's open bedroom door. She'd glanced in the room a few times, but she hadn't been able to get herself all the way inside.

Maybe it was time to make that move.

She crossed the threshold and took a deep breath, inhaling her aunt's favorite scent—lavender. Carly had often sprayed it on her pillows and bed sheets and lined her dresser drawers with scented paper.

Mia felt a wave of emotion run through her as she thought about her aunt's smiling face, her joy for life, and her love of travel. She wanted to be more like her adventurous aunt and less like her normal boring self, and not just while she was here in Angel's Bay, but wherever she went next.

Making that silent promise to herself, she walked over to the closet and opened the door. It was a walk-in closet, and as she entered, she was overwhelmed once again by all the stuff; not only the clothes hanging on the rods, but the boxes on the shelves, the piles of shoes on the floor, and the laundry basket overflowing with sheets and towels. She was surprised to see that there were more paintings lined up six deep against the wall. She'd thought all the art was in the studio, but that wasn't the case.