“Sees me?”
“He would like you to visit him.”
“Visit him?”
Riley eyed her silently. But at his nod, blood buzzed to her head, and her fury exploded. “If he wants me that much, then why the hell didn’t he come himself? I’ll be twenty-five in a few days, and not once did he make contact. Not even an unsigned birthday card to say,hey, you’re not really an orphan! Suddenly,nowhe remembers he has a daughter?” A sob caught in her throat. God. She shoved her fingers into her hair and spun away, glaring helplessly at the memo-crammed corkboard nailed to the wall. Nothing could take away the betrayal choking her.
“A-and what was all that crap about the plane crash? Was he even on the aircraft? W-what about my mother? Is she alive too and having a good ol’ life with him—”
“Kira…” Riley gently laid his hands on her upper arms, stopping her bitter explosion of words. She lowered her hands, eyes brimming with tears, and looked into his steady green stare. “I understand why you’re upset, believe me. But he has his reasons. He is a…very private person. And he really wants to see you—”
“I don’t care. Tell him you couldn’t find me. Tell him I’m dead!”
A faint smile touched Riley’s mouth. “He knows you are fine and well cared for.”
But something about his quiet expression hauled Kira back to awareness, back to a place where she could think again. How he did it, she had no clue. She tilted her head sideways, her eyes narrowing in puzzlement. “Who are you?”
Riley let her go and took a few steps back, running his palm over his buzzed hair. “Merely the messenger. Look, Kira, go see him. Maybe then you’ll understand everything.”
A soft knock sounded, shattering the tense air.
Riley cut her another look before he opened the door. A petite but curvy girl a few years younger than Kira walked inside. It actually shocked her to see how Riley’s entire demeanor softened into tenderness when he saw her.
“Wow, it’s sure cold out there. I’m so sorry I’m late, Riley, but Zayn refused to get his lazy hide out of bed. Said he had a hectic night and needed the rest—” Her eyes lit on Kira, and she smiled, revealing a single dimple in her cheek.
The girl was gorgeous, with hip-length ebony hair and gold-flecked brown eyes. “You must be Kira. Riley only mentioned you last night.” She cast Riley an exasperated look, and Kira sensed a kindred spirit. “I’m Saia—”
“My wife,” Riley said. He drew her close and pressed a kiss to her brow. “In my defense, sweetheart, like I said, I—”
“It’s okay.” Saia patted his chest, her attention back on Kira. “Are you going to see your sir—uh, dad?” she asked.
“She hasn’t made up her mind yet.”
“I did make up my mind,” Kira countered. “I’m not going to see him. He conveniently forgets that he has a child, then wakes up one morning and suddenly decides he wants me? Well, I don’t need a father at this stage of my life. I managed just fine without one.”
Saia eyed Kira warily then glanced at Riley as if unsure what to do.
A soft sigh escaping him, Riley picked up her cell from the desk and tapped in something. Then his phone rang and cut off. “My number.” He set her cell down again. “I have to leave in a few days. Think about it and call me soon if you change your mind, okay?”
“Why? Does my father live across the ocean?” she snipped.
A slight hesitation. “Yes. Quite far.”
Saia gave her a compassionate smile and then walked out with Riley.
Kira stood there for several minutes, staring blankly into space, too upset to do anything. Then she snatched her cell off the desk and dialed Gran but hung up before the first ring. Why worry her grandmother with this news when she was so far away. She couldn’t answer her phone or do anything about it anyhow.
The office door opened again. Jesse, the other waitress, poked her blond head into the office. “There you are. Thanks for covering for me, hun. Paul finally settled down for the night. My poor baby, I hate when he gets sick. At least my mom’s there now.”
Kira forced a smile. “I don’t mind helping out.”
“By the way, there’s one absolutely drool-worthy hunk looking for you. He’d put even the movie stars to shame.” Jesse sighed, her eyes bright with excitement. “The women would probably overpower him if he didn’t wear that, keep-the-hell-away-from-melook so well. First Echo, now you? Where do you guys find them?”
With her mind in turmoil, Kira simply shook her head. “Tell him I’ll be there in a minute. I have to change out of my uniform.”
God, her freakin’ father was alive. Maybe she should meet him and spit right in his face that he was nothing but a sperm donor!
