The Memory of You (Sanctuary Sound #1)(84)
Emmy leaned into her mother, resting her head on Val’s shoulder. She looked so very young and sad that Ryan’s heart actually constricted. “Good, Mommy.”
“Have fun.” Ryan would’ve kissed Emmy goodbye, but she’d molded herself to Val’s body so that it would’ve required him to hug Val, too. Any other day he wouldn’t have hugged Val for a variety of reasons, but today he avoided it because of guilt. “I’ll see you later.”
He exited the shop and strode down Main Street, barely noticing the cars or pedestrians. Sunshine beat down on him like a spotlight on all his mistakes. Deep down he’d known—as he’d confessed to Steffi—that he’d never given Val his all. What he hadn’t known was that he’d been so transparent. That, on an ongoing basis, she’d known and suffered that bitter rejection of never being quite good enough.
That he’d never fallen completely in love with Val for his family’s sake was bad enough. But even that shameful confession didn’t compare with the darker truth of his heart. Despite everything—including his daughter’s dearest wish—he’d rather risk another heartbreak with Steffi than force himself back into a relationship that had never truly satisfied Val or him.
He supposed the only good thing to come of lunch was the answer to the litmus test Steffi had thrown at him this morning. He pulled out his phone and called her. When she didn’t answer, he left a message. “Steffi, it’s Ryan. I’m sorry about earlier. You were right. Clean slate it is. I’d love to go to Oktoberfest tomorrow with you and Emmy. Call me later, please.”
Chapter Eighteen
Steffi and Ryan walked one step behind Emmy, who trudged through the fairground with all the enthusiasm of a man on death row. She passed by the Magic Carpet ride with nary a pause. Her sky-high cone of cotton candy went mostly uneaten. And then there was the litany of complaints. “I’m hot.” “It’s crowded.” “My new shoes are giving me blisters.”
One day with her mother and Emmy had forsaken the pants and sneakers she’d been wearing lately in favor of a flouncy dress, tights, and hair ribbons. Steffi’s erstwhile shadow had vanished overnight as if it never existed, leaving a fine tear in her heart.
Ryan had forewarned Steffi of Emmy’s disappointment in his sending Val home. If his daughter’s mood persisted today, he might rethink his priorities. After the disaster of their first date, Steffi couldn’t afford another strike.
As they ambled around the gaming booths, the milk-bottle toss caught her eye.
“Hold up!” Years of goalie training gave her exceptional arm strength and aim, so she tossed five dollars on the counter and waited for her three softballs, determined to win a supersize stuffed toy. It might not win Emmy over, but it should get her to stop pouting for five minutes. “I used to be awesome at this.”
“Is that your way of challenging me?” Ryan teased, his hands still on his daughter’s shoulders.
“Nope. If I recall, your aim isn’t any better than my singing.” Steffi chuckled before she elbowed Emmy. “If I knock them all down, which prize do you want?”
Emmy shrugged, barely meeting her gaze.
She’s a young kid nursing a broken heart; she’s just a kid who misses her mom.
She touched Emmy’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard to let your heart get set on something you might not win.” She didn’t look at Ryan, who must’ve recognized the sentiment he’d mentioned more than once this fall. “You’ll see, though. I’m pretty much a sure thing. My strength never fails me.”
Except once.
An uncomfortable shiver awakened the hairs along her neck, but she snatched a softball and took aim. Despite Emmy’s pretense of nonchalance, Steffi caught her watching from beneath her lashes, her lower lip caught in her teeth.
Steffi said a silent prayer, wound up, and then pitched the ball. Although she landed a direct hit in the sweet spot, one bottle remained standing. She suspected the game was rigged with one heavy bottle. The carnival worker reset the two capsized bottles in the exact same spots.
She turned to Emmy. “Okay, did you see which two went down?”
Emmy nodded.
Steffi stood back and let another one fly, again hitting the triangle where the three bottles connected. Once more, two went down while the same one remained upright.
“Hey,” Steffi said to the booth worker while pointing at the standing milk jug, “I think that bottle is heavier than the others.”
“No, ma’am,” he said, but his neck broke out in red splotches.
“Then you won’t mind switching it out with the top one from that other set?”
The guy looked a little stunned, but Ryan gave him a stern look, so he did it. “Sure thing, ma’am.”
She knew they wouldn’t put a heavy bottle on top, because it would go down with any decent hit, so she’d certainly made the best choice available. She glanced at Emmy. “Think I can do it this time?”
Emmy looked at war with herself for being intrigued, but nodded. “I guess so.”
Ryan’s grin grew larger. He winked at Steffi, which was all the encouragement she needed. Times like this made her lifetime of keeping up with three brothers pay off. She hauled off her final throw for another perfect shot. This time all three bottles went down.