Beautiful from the inside out.
Someone to trust with Lucy’s heart?
His throat tightened.Yes.
“And you know what God says about you?” Daphne asked softly.
“That I’m beautiful?”
Daphne smiled so tenderly it made Finn ache. And when she touched Lucy’s cheek, Finn nearly felt the gentleness to his soul. “He does. He also says you’re precious to Him. Do you know whatpreciousmeans?”
“Special?”
“That’s right. But not just special.” Daphne leaned in, like she was sharing the best-kept secret in the world. “A treasure.”
“A treasure?” Lucy’s eyes widened. “Like pirate’s treasure?”
“Bigger than the biggest pirate’s treasure.” Daphne nodded, their noses nearly touching. “And that’s what God and your daddy know about you. That you’re wonderful. Precious. Beautiful.”
“And a treasure,” Lucy added with a giggle.
“Exactly.” Daphne tapped Lucy’s nose and grinned.
The whole scene blurred in his vision. Something shifted inside him—quiet but seismic. Like the ground beneath him had tilted. Or was that the hesitation inside him unfurling?
“That’s exactly right.” Daphne wrapped Lucy in a hug.
And just like that, Finn fell.
Hard. Crushing.
Fantastically. No going back.
“Okay, sugarplum,” Daphne said, still holding Lucy close. “You remember that the next time someone who doesn’t really know you tries to act like they do. If what they say doesn’t match the truth, you catch that thought”—she waved her hand above Lucy’s head like she was snatching fireflies—“and toss it away.” She shook her fingers like she was dusting off crumbs. “Don’t hold them in your head for very long.”
Lucy nodded and mimicked the movement.
Finn’s world tilted upright, like a camera lens coming into focus after far too long of seeing things wrong. For the first time in a long time, emotions he’d buried deep inside his bruised heart expanded through him, filling the broken, hollow places in his chest. Shoring up the weak spots.
And hope rushed in.
Daphne wasn’t competition.
She wasn’t even a rival.
She was the risk worth taking.
His throat closed. But he’d fumbled things so badly. She didn’t trust him. Probably didn’t even like him. And as for seeing him as anything close to a suitor? That ship had sailed, sunk, and been picked over by sea creatures.
Still.
“You spying on the competition?” came a voice behind him.
Finn turned to find Jack leaning in the doorway, pizza box in hand and a mischievous tilt to his brow.
“No,” Finn whispered. Then sighed. “Well... maybe a little. Butfor good reason.” He jerked his chin toward the living room. “Your sister is being her beautiful self and rescuing my daughter’s day.”
“Herbeautifulself?” Jack’s other brow rose to meet the first, but he didn’t question further.
