“I wanted to thank you for inviting me over tonight,” he said as she took his coat and hung it in the entryway closet. “I realize this is difficult for you.”
Claire forced a smile. “It was the least I could do,” she said. “After all, you’re treating us to a month at the beach.” Or trapping us with you for a month at the beach. Same difference, she supposed.
“You can thank the CEO of Brooks Express Shipping for that, actually. We went to college together. It’s his beach house we’re going to be staying at as a favor to me.”
“Of course it is.” She chuckled dryly. Apparently rich guys just hung out together. Claire hadn’t been around many superwealthy people, but she wasn’t surprised to think they all knew one another. They certainly weren’t spending their time with people like her. At least until now, when he had to.
With a shake of her head, she turned away from him and led Luca out of the entryway and into the open expanse of her living room. “Well, this is Eva,” she said, holding her arm out in front of them to where she was playing.
Luca turned in that direction and froze in place the moment his eyes fell on their daughter. For a powerful CEO who was always in control of everything, he seemed to be at a total loss in the moment. He didn’t take a step toward Eva; he just kept watching her from a distance.
Claire decided to help by easing him into his new role as father. She walked across the room and scooped Eva up off the floor. Cuddling the baby in her arms, she turned back to Luca. “Look who’s come to visit, Eva. You have a new friend here to see you.”
Eva turned her head to look at Luca, her big gray eyes taking in the new person and processing it however her little baby brain operated.
Luca finally loosened up, leaning in to the baby with a wide, friendly smile. “Hello, bella.”
Eva rewarded him with a slobbery grin, showcasing her two new bottom teeth. She was usually a little shy with strangers, but she seemed to warm up to Luca immediately. When he reached out to stroke her chubby little arm, she grabbed his finger and held on tight.
“You’ve got a good hold of me, don’t you? How about I trade you my finger for a fuzzy bear?” Luca held up the pink bear and Eva’s eyes immediately shifted to the new pretty.
She let go of his finger and reached out for the soft toy with a cry of delight. Luca handed it over to her, laughing as she immediately put the bear’s ear in her mouth.
“Everything is a teething toy these days,” Claire said. “Thank you for the gift.”
“It’s long overdue,” he said with a touch of sadness in his voice.
Claire noted it, feeling guilty for her role in that delay. Her lawyer had been right; none of this was Luca’s fault. He just wanted to be a part of his child’s life, and he deserved to be. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, the time together at the beach would make this situation workable for both of them. They needed it. “Would you like to hold her?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said with a touch of excitement in his gold and brown eyes.
“Here we go,” Claire said in the soft baby voice she used for Eva. Lifting her off her chest, she moved Eva over into Luca’s waiting arms. He scooped her up like a professional. Perhaps it was beginner’s luck.
“You are a sweet little thing,” he said, cooing at his daughter. “I’m going to be wrapped around your little finger before too long, I can tell.”
Claire took a step back to let Luca have his moment with Eva. After a few minutes, he moved over to her couch and settled Eva on his knee. It didn’t take long for her to see that he was right. Luca was completely enamored with his daughter and they’d only just met. She understood. The minute she’d laid eyes on Eva, she was totally and completely in love. Luca looked just as she imagined she did then.
The reality of the moment was like a fist to her gut. She stumbled back a little, bracing herself against the doorway to the kitchen. Luca didn’t notice. He only had eyes for Eva. As a new father should. It was the inescapable realization that she should’ve had this moment months ago, in the hospital with Jeff at her side, that threw her off balance. She should’ve gotten to watch her husband hold their daughter for the first time with that same look of wonder and adoration on his face.
Instead, her moments in the hospital had been bittersweet. She’d cradled her baby, alone in her room, and cried. They were tears of joy, tears of sadness, tears of loss. She wouldn’t have that moment with Jeff because he’d gotten himself killed while he was out with his mistress. She wouldn’t have that moment with Jeff because in the end, Eva wasn’t even his daughter.