Page 12 of The Billionaire Dating Dad (The Holidates #18)

Violet

Two weeks later

A t night, after putting Maddie to bed, she would remind herself that their situation was only for three months.

That men like Dimitri wanted relationships with women in their social circle, not their nannies.

She repeated the words, hoping they were enough to keep her heart safe.

Hoping they were enough to keep her heart from breaking when they said their goodbyes.

Tonight was different. Tonight Violet stood in Maddie’s doorway, captivated by Dimitri’s soothing voice as he read his daughter a bedtime story. She too was drawn into the tale of Nemo as the fish dodged strong currents beneath the ocean.

Something else captivated her too as she watched father and daughter — the look of pure longing and uncertainty each time Maddie glanced in her direction.

The pain of missing her mother.

The emotion hovered untamed, like electricity below the surface of Maddie’s emotions.

“That’s the end of chapter four, Maddie,” Dimitri said, closing the book.

Maddie glanced at her father and again a look of sadness tugged at Violet’s heart. Another child might have protested…begged for another chapter. The inquisitive girl had retreated. “Would you like your dad to read you another chapter?” Violet asked. Wanting to see a spark of excitement.

Violet practically heard Maddie deliberating. The longer she waited without objection from her father the more hopeful she became.

“But if I don’t wake up in time, Daddy can’t take me to school.”

There was that sadness again as if she struggled between being good and not burdening her father. “I promise to wake you.”

Maddie stared at her blanket. Dimitri lifted his daughter’s chin until she looked at him. “Not only will I take you to school, but I’ll also have Jack make us anything you’d like for breakfast.”

Really?” Maddie’s smile was contagious. She leaned against Dimitri’s shoulder as he began another chapter.

A sweet ache entered Violet’s heart while watching father and daughter.

She could no longer deny to herself that without her looking Dimitri and Maddie had snuck in and dug a permanent home in her chest. Between Maddie’s warm heart and generosity and Dimitri’s patient albeit sometimes fumbling parenting, Violet didn’t stand a chance.

She’d fallen in love with them. She wished that meant everything would work out but she knew that at the end of her three months, she would be walking away in a world of hurt when she left.