The Broken One (Corisi Billionaires, #1)(66)

“Bill,” her father said by way of introduction. The handshake he gave me was firm. I waited for him to introduce himself to Ava, but he didn’t. His hands were empty, and I had the feeling it wasn’t because he’d stashed a gift somewhere to give Ava later. “There’s a booth with fresh strawberries and cream,” he said.

Ava lit up. “Can we get some, Mommy?”

“That’s what we’re here for,” Heather said, but her forehead furrowed as she looked at her father. Was she hoping for more from him?

I sure as hell was.

We waited in line together, ordered our bowls, then found a picnic table where we could dig in to them. As we ate, Heather and her father stepped away to speak privately. Although I wanted nothing more than to make sure that conversation was a healthy one for Heather, I had Ava to think of.

I dabbed her nose with whipped cream.

She retaliated with a smear of her own that had us both laughing.

When we finished our food, Ava looked over at the bounce house. “Can I go in?”

I glanced to where Heather and her father were still talking. If Heather had been smiling, I would have walked Ava over to ask if that was what Heather wanted, but I had a feeling she’d thank me for distracting Ava. “Sure. You just have to take your shoes off.”

“Will you watch me?” Ava asked.

“Of course.” I followed her to the bounce house and paid for a ticket for her. “Go on in. I’ll be right here.”

She left her shoes by the entrance. I went to stand beside the mesh wall so I could see her. “Watch this, Sebastian,” she said. “Did you see that? Watch me, Sebastian.” Even though she was doing nothing different than any of the other children in the bounce house, I cheered her on and applauded her attempts at high jumps.

I thought of my first child and how they would have loved the bounce house as well. For once, the thought didn’t fill me with despair. I would always feel the loss, but it no longer had the power to overwhelm me. Instead of locking it away and releasing it like a demon once a year, my grief had become a companion who would walk through life beside me—always a part of me, but not defining who I was.

Heather and her father came to stand beside me. With her father there I couldn’t ask Heather about their conversation, but their expressions made it clear it hadn’t gone well.

Ava popped out of the bounce house and danced over to Heather. “Mommy, I have to pee. Right now.”

“Oh, okay, let’s find a bathroom,” Heather said in a rush and shot me a panicked look.

“We’ll be right here,” I assured her.

They were well out of earshot when I said, “Seeing you today meant a lot to Heather.”

Her father sighed. “Seeing her meant a lot to me too. She’s my baby girl.”

That didn’t sound like a bad foundation to build on. “You seemed to be talking things out.”

Bill shook his head. “Nothing to talk out. She’s been angry with me since the day her mother left. If you ask me, she’s a lot more like her mother than like me. Four years, that’s how long she hasn’t spoken to me. The apple didn’t fall far from that tree.”

Even as my temper began to rise, I held my patience. This was Heather’s family, and for that reason alone I would be respectful. “It might seem that way to you, but Heather is hopeful the two of you can work things out—that you might be part of Ava’s life.”

With a shrug, Bill said, “That little girl is not my grandchild. Her mother was a wild one who was always in some kind of trouble. I told Heather my opinion when she said she wanted to adopt her. It hasn’t changed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to see my daughter doing well, and she seems to like being a mother, but when she has her own children, she’ll see how different it is. You can take in someone else’s kid, but it’s not the same thing.”

My hands fisted at my sides. “I’m going to need you to shut the fuck up,” I said in a low tone.

He turned to me, anger flashing in his eyes. “What did you say?”

I rose to my full height and took a calming breath, only because there were children present. “I love your daughter and that little girl of hers. I intend to marry Heather and, if they both agree to it, adopt Ava. They will be my family—and Ava will be my daughter regardless of whether or not we have other children. As Heather’s father you will be welcome in our home”—I leaned closer to him and growled—“but if I ever hear you talk about Ava like that again, or get any sense that you make either Heather or Ava uncomfortable, it will be my pleasure to throw your ass out.”

Before he had a chance to say anything, Ava ran back with Heather at her heels. “Can we go on the slide now? Can we?”

Heather looked from me to her father and back. “Everything okay?”

“Absolutely,” I said smoothly. “Your father and I were just getting acquainted.”

Ava was tugging on her mother’s hand. Heather smiled. “Do you mind if I go down the slide a few times with Ava?”

Ava looked up at Heather’s father. “Come watch us.”

Bill hesitated. He looked a little less sure of himself than he had a moment earlier. “Okay.”

Ava stood there, looking up at Heather’s father. “Can I call you Grampy?”