The company wasn’t her top priority now. It never had been. And with her daughter gazing up at her with admiring eyes, it never would be.
—I trust you, Frank. You make the decisions, and it will all be good.—
It would be, now that she had her daughter back in her life. Did she dare dream of having Theo, too? For that happy family thing Jordan talked about? Shutting off her phone, she settled back as Jordan brought her a book and nestled snuggly in her lap.
Chapter five
Theostirredthepotof spaghetti sauce, then replaced the lid. It had been hours since Chelsea and Jordan had gone into her playroom together. A few times he’d peeked in but hadn’t wanted to intrude. There was paperwork he’d needed to do. Technically, he’d taken the afternoon off, but he figured he could get it done while Jordan was occupied.
Quietly padding toward the playroom, he listened for joyful noises. A few times this afternoon he’d heard Jordan squealing in excitement, and the sound had played havoc on his system. What exactly did he want to come from this situation? For his daughter to have a constant mother figure in her life, yes. Didhewant something too?
Honestly, he wasn’t sure. He’d never gotten over Chelsea. He couldn’t deny it. Once he’d fallen, he’d fallen hard. And permanently. However, this Chelsea was different from the one he’d fallen for. Weak, fragile, unsure. What had happened to make her this way?
Peering in the doorway, his heart skipped a beat. The two of them sat in the rocking chair in the corner, Jordan on her mother’s lap. The sweet voice he remembered so clearly, the one that haunted his dreams even now, floated through the room as Chelsea read a book. Her gaze wandered from the pages to the child as she spoke, her fingers sifting through the girl’s silky brown tresses. Her pert little nose nuzzled into the child’s neck to inhale the sweet fragrance that was Jordan. He knew it all too well.
Chelsea looked up and blinked a few times, though not before he’d seen the tears lingering in her eyes. Had she been crying all afternoon?
“It’s almost time for supper.”
Jordan bounced in her mother’s lap. “Is Mama eating with us?”
Again, Chelsea seemed unsure. It wasn’t a look he liked on her.
“There’s plenty. You look like you could use a good meal.”
Pain crossed her face, and he wondered if he had caused it.
“Please, Mama, please,” Jordan begged as she held her mother’s face in her hands and rained kisses on her cheeks. The elation that grew on Chelsea’s face had him staggering back. God, she was lethal.
“Okay, I’ll stay.” When she looked up at him, her smile dimmed. “If you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I did.” It was amazing how he could keep his voice so neutral when every cell in his body screamed that Chelsea was finally back. “About five minutes. Jordan, you need to get cleaned up first.”
“Come on, Mama,” the girl said, yanking Chelsea out of the chair. “We needa wash our hands.”
Theo went to give the spaghetti a last stir. As he was draining it, they entered the kitchen, Jordan still holding her mother’s hand.
“Hey, peanut, how about you get silverware for all of us?”
“Yup.” She skipped to the drawer and pulled it open. “See, Mama? I have a special fork for me. It just the wight size.”
“Can I help with anything?” Chelsea hadn’t moved from the doorway. “Set the table, maybe?”
“Sure. Dishes are in the cabinet.” He tilted his head in the right direction, his hands busy spooning sauce and meatballs into a bowl.
When Chelsea stood on her toes, he couldn’t help but peek at her petite figure and how her top rode up, exposing a tiny sliver of skin at her waist.Down boy. You have no idea how long she’s staying or evenifshe’s staying.
“Okay, everyone sit and let’s eat.”
“You sit next to me, Mama.” Jordan pointed to the chair on her left. He sat on her right at the head of the table, farther away from Chelsea. Did he want her closer? His stomach was already in knots.
Using the spaghetti spoon, he dished up the pasta and placed it on his daughter’s plate.
“How many meatballs do you want, peanut?”
“Two.” Her small body bounced up and down on the chair.
“Two what?”
