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“You did the coloring without me?”
“You weren’t here, Daddy. I never seen you ‘till bedtime.”
I nod to Anna. “Thanks, I’ll take it from here.” After a hard day at work, the best thing in my life is coming home to my girl. We live in a four-story townhouse-style apartment in the heart of Tribeca. Me, Dex, and Zach. There are only four units in the building, each accessed by a private elevator.
This works for us, because it keeps us close but separate. Gives us privacy when we need it, but a chance to easily meet up if we need to.
Naturally, being the oldest, I have the top floor penthouse. Dex and Zach have the lower floors, and we have a pool, sauna, and gym on the ground floor.
Unlike the office block we share with our father and the half-Knights in Midtown Manhattan, we have our own living space, away from the boys who live in SoHo. I like that distance between us.
With my girl in my arms, I swirl her around in the air. Brooke giggles. “Daddy, stop!” So, I do, and sit on her bed with her still in my arms. Soon she’ll be too big for this. She’s no longer the chubby toddler I used to know. Now she’s all long legs and skinny arms. She’s only four—almost five.
Brooke snuggles into me, and I sit down on her bed, holding her close. She’s growing up too fast. “I’m sorry I was late for dinner.”
“You’re going tomorrow. Anna said you’re going for a long time.”
I make a face, feeling genuinely wretched. I hate leaving her, but business comes first, for the moment. I would happily have taken Brooke with me, but her teacher said a week was too long to be out of school. That Brooke needs stability, and consistency. I already took her skiing with us a few months ago when I pulled her out of her class for ten days, so I guess she has a point. “It’s not a long time, sprout,” I tell her gently. “It’s not weeks and weeks and weeks. It’s seven days.”
Her face scrunches up just as her eyes widen. “That’s a long time, Daddy!”
“I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Butwhenwill you come back? It’s my party, ‘member?”
“I do remember. How could I forget such an important date?” I drop a kiss on her forehead. Because of Brooke’s birthday, I tacked a few days onto the start of the trip, not the end. There’s no way I’m missing this milestone. She beams me a smile that melts my heart and I rush to reassure her, stroking her damp hair. “I’m sorry things are so hectic, that I’m always so busy. But soon, one day, things will slow down and we’ll be able to spend lots of time together.”
“You promise?” Her eyes fill with hope.
“I promise.” But I feel like a liar saying these words, even though a part of me wants them to be true. We’re always working, doing deals, traveling, and expanding our empire. It seems as if our father thrives on all of this, but I’m becoming aware that I’m missing the chance to see my little girl grow up. She’s already without a mother, and I need to be a better parent, both a mother and a father. I’m doing a lousy job at the moment. This addiction to money that afflicts my father, I once had too—until Brooke was born. But I was forced to slow down and enjoy what little happiness we got to share as a family—Sophia, Brooke, and I. And then when Sophia died, I got caught up again in chasing deals and money. More as a distraction, than anything.
Brooke frowns as if she doesn’t believe me. “Anna’s not gonna be there,” she says.
What? I huff as I start to remember. Of course she isn’t. She’s going away that weekend on a bachelorette party. I forget whose. Might even be hers, for all I know. “You’re right, she isn’t.”
“You forgot, didn’t you?” She stares at me accusingly. How did she get so clever?
“No, no.” It’s not technically a lie, since I knew, just forgot this week. The meeting with my father was unnerving, and Alicia has been a distraction. “I know it’s your party.”
“Is Cari coming?”
My stomach drops. Fuck. Something else I forgot to do. I forgot to ask her. I beam a smile at my girl but she sees right through it.
“Did you forget, Daddy?”
I sure did. “I've been busy, sprout. Don’t you worry, I’ll sort it out.”
“I want Cari there.”
“I’ll talk to her,” I promise, knowing I’ll have to call Cari as soon as we’re in Monaco.
Brooke adores her, and I can’t imagine the party without Cari being there. Alicia and my previous girlfriends have commented on their unusual connection, but I’ve brought Brooke to the office many times over the years. From what I remember, Cari met her during her first week on the job and took a liking to Brooke straightaway. Brooke seemed to bond with Cari, too. What I find most perplexing is how an only child like Cari can be so good with children, when she doesn’t have any siblings of her own?
But Cari has so many endearing qualities, and she’s got a big heart. Her smile is infectious, as is her laughter, even though I haven’t seen much of these things in the last few months. “I can ask her, but she might be busy,” I forewarn my girl.
Brooke grins, already content with my answer. Any mention of Cari has that effect. I owe my assistant so much. “I’ll ask her, and let’s hope she can make it.” I press a kiss on her cheeks, first one then the other, then a kiss on her forehead, nose, and chin. She giggles. “How about I read a book to you?” I offer, wanting to end the night on a good note. I want her to be happy with me, and to feel loved and cherished.
She races to her bookshelf and grabs her favorite bedtime stories. As she curls up beside me, I kiss the top of her head, guilt gnawing at me. My daughter deserves more than a distracted father and a carousel of girlfriends who take up what little free time I have outside of business.