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“I’ll fly in every chance I get. It may not be an ideal situation, but we can do it. At least for a while.”
“Long-distance relationships never work.”
“It can work for a while, long enough for us to decide if we want to be together for the long haul.”
“And if we want a relationship? What if we fall in love again and want to be married? We can’t live clear across the country from each other.”
He shrugged. “We will have to decide where to live if we become a family, but I don’t think we should argue about it at this point.”
“I’m not moving to Vegas. Seriously. That isn’t what I want for Mia. She is better off growing up here in a small town with good old-fashioned values.”
Nik lifted a hand. “Let’s not fight about it until we know there’s something to fight about.”
A relationship between them would never work. She silently accepted that fact, but she kept her feelings to herself. The truth was, she would refuse to live in Vegas no matter how much she loved him. He might give in on a temporary basis and try living in Brookhaven. That wouldn’t work either. Nik Andropolis couldn’t be happy in a small town.
Turning her thoughts back to a better place, she asked, “How do we do this dating thing? You’ll be trying to get to know Mia, and I don’t want to step on that.”
“Speaking of which, when do I get to meet her. How do we handle that? Maybe you should talk to her first and smooth things over. Give her a hint of what’s happening and try to prepare her.”
“You act like we’re giving her bad news. She’s going to be overjoyed to finally meet her daddy. Trust me. She’s going to love you, and you are going to adore her.”
“I already do.” He pulled Chloe in for a hug. “And I think her mommy is pretty special, too.”
He kissed her full on the mouth without warning.
Chloe’s head was spinning. Last month in Vegas, he hadn’t wanted more than one night in her arms. Had he truly changed his mind about her, or did he just want her because of Mia? He knew they were a package deal, but she refused to be with a man that didn’t truly love her.
If they were meant to be, he needed to convince her that he wanted her for her.
Chapter Sixteen
Chloe raced around her house, cleaning like a madwoman. She wasn’t exactly a slob, but she hadn’t picked up after herself or Mia in a few days. Her daughter was in her bedroom playing with her dolls. Chloe hadn’t told Mia today was special. The girl was about to meet her father. Should she prepare Mia? What should she say to her? How did a person explain to their five-year-old that the father she thought she’d never have was about to ring the doorbell?
Poor Nik was a mess. When Chloe had left him in town, he was still trying to figure out what to get the little girl for a present. Chloe insisted he didn’t need to bring her anything, but Nik had listed all the special occasions he’d already missed. Birthdays. Christmases. Easters. His list had continued on, getting sillier with each so-called special day. Fourth of July? Groundhogs Day?
Chloe just hoped he didn’t go overboard. The man was a billionaire and knew how to impress. Her imagination ran wild. What if he bought Mia a floor to ceiling teddy bear that had to be flown in by helicopter? He might buy her an entire toy store. What if he bought her a zoo or a circus?
A dull throb began behind one of her eyes, and the ache slowly grew. She wished she had set boundaries for gift buying, but she’d been too busy trying to make him feel better. Nik was understandably concerned about meeting his daughter for the first time. She didn’t blame him. In fact, if it was her, she’d be climbing the walls.
Regardless of what Nik said, the whole thing was her fault. If she had told him how much his mother hated her, he might not have been so quick to believe the woman’s outrageous lies.
Chloe realized she should have kept calling him or sent him a message in some other way. She could have made sure he knew about Mia. If nothing else, she could have contacted an attorney. The reason she hadn’t done any of that was because she thought he’d take Mia away. It all came down to fear and a deep distrust in men. She hadn’t trusted him any more than he had trusted her.
The doorbell rang, and panic hit her hard. Her gaze bounced back and forth from the door to the hallway leading to Mia’s bedroom. She didn’t want either of them to get hurt.
After a minute or two of hesitation, she went to the front door. Nik stood on her porch with a strained smile and a wrapped box that fit under his arm. The sight of the present filled her with relief. At least he hadn’t gone overboard. The poor guy looked like a deer in the headlights to her. She wished there was something she could do to put him at ease.
Her fingers slid into the crook of his arm, and she pulled him inside. “Take a few deep breaths. You aren’t on your way to Death Row. Just remember to be your charming self and don’t try too hard. Children are like animals. They smell fear.”
He pulled on his tie as if it was suddenly too tight. “I should have worn jeans, right? I don’t want her to think I’m an undertaker.”
Chloe marveled at how nervous he seemed. “Relax. You’ll be fine.”
She’d never seen him so uncomfortable. Nik Andropolis lived by the motto: Never let them see you sweat. He took charge of any and all situations. Leave it to her sweet little girl to bring the Greek tycoon to his knees.
“Did you tell her I was coming?” he asked while tugging his tie loose.
“I told her we were having a guest for dinner.”
