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I want this to be my life .
Cari moves, still focused on Brooke’s hair, but the sunlight catches her curls giving it golden highlights. Her skin is all aglow.
I feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and something shifts. I could have this forever. Cari looks up, catching me staring.
“You okay?” she mouths, just as Brooke notices me.
“Daddy! You’re up!”
My little girl launches herself at me, and I scoop her up, burying my face in her hair. She smells like lavender, fresh and sweet.
“Can we go to Horses Bay? Zara told me about it.”
“Horseshoe Bay,” I correct with a smile.
“That one!”
I set her down gently, my mood sobering. “Not today, sweetheart.”
Brooke’s face falls. “Why not?”
I glance at Cari, who stands slowly, her eyes filled with worry—for me, not herself.
“I have to go away for a few days.”
Brooke’s lip trembles. “Where?”
“I’ll be back soon, I promise. It’s just meetings—boring stuff.”
Cari frowns, her assistant instincts kicking in. “What’s going on? Where do you have to go?”
“The Pinewood acquisition. The SEC flagged some financials—nothing catastrophic, but enough to cause a problem if I don’t handle it personally. I’ll need to meet with their CEO, regulators, and lawyers to straighten things out. So, I have to go to Florida.”
I hear the gasp she lets out. “Florida.”
I nod. “It sucks, I know.”
“Do you need me to pull files or set anything up?” she asks.
“Just keep things running smoothly here, the way you always do.”
She gives me a soft smile. “Don’t worry. Brooke and I will be fine.” She turns to Brooke. “How about we visit Zara this weekend, or ask her to come here?”
Brooke’s eyes light up. “Really?”
“Really.”
“Why don’t you go down for breakfast, sprout,” I say to Brooke. When she skips out, Cari stays behind, clicking the door shut. She steps into me, and I wrap my arms around her.
“Thank you for last night,” I murmur, brushing my lips against her hair. “But I was supposed to take care of you.”
She tilts her head up, a teasing smile on her lips. “I came back to your bed, freshly showered, and in need of attention.”
Heat stirs in my belly. God, I wish I could stay. I’d take care of her right now.
“You really have to go?” Her voice is soft, tinged with disappointment.
“The SEC flagged irregularities. If I don’t act now, the whole deal could collapse. Our rivals are already circling, waiting for an opportunity to swoop in.”