Page 24 of Chasing the Sun

Chloe stood up and pulled the towel tighter around her chest. “Me too. I’ll go get dressed.”

He watched her scurry away and smiled. He could easily envision her giving Rita a piece of her mind, and the thought amused him. However, he wasn’t sure how he felt about Chloe knowing about Lara.

On the one hand, it could be a good thing—her knowing that he didn’t mess around with his employees. On the other hand, she seemed fear-struck. Was she afraid he’d fire her over any little misstep, or was there something else?

He didn’t have time to contemplate it further, because Molly was pulling him into the kitchen and demanding dinner.

He had just set a big pot of water to boil for spaghetti when Chloe joined them. She’d changed into a one-piece outfit that skimmed over her body and tucked in at the waist. She’d gathered her hair up in a messy bun that exposed her graceful neck and perfectly shaped ears.

Ears? Really? You just saw her in a bikini, and you’re thinking about her ears?

“Can I help?” she asked, sidling up next to him at the stove.

“Um…”

“I may not be an expert cook, but I can boil noodles,” she said somewhat defiantly.

He wondered if she’d offered because she was trying to keep in his good graces, but he decided not to argue. “Molly and I will set the table,” he said and moved out of her way.

Soon the three of them sat down to a spaghetti dinner. At first, Bryce was worried the conversation would be stiff, but Molly kept it flowing.

“Daddy, did you know that Miss Chloe is a dancer?”

“A dance instructor,” Chloe gently corrected.

“Jamie mentioned that,” Bryce said hesitantly. He thought it might be a sore subject since she’d recently lost her job.

“She said she would teach me how to dance if it’s okay with you.”

He paused with a forkful of spaghetti halfway to his lips. “What kind of dance?” An image of his little girl in a provocative dance costume made him cringe.

“I usually begin with ballet,” Chloe said, seeming to sense his discomfort. “It builds strength and stamina, which are the building blocks for other forms of dance.”

“Did you used to teach kids?” he probed.

She nodded. “Kids make the best students. They’re the most flexible and willing to learn.”

“Pleeese, Daddy.”

He looked from his daughter’s beautiful blue eyes to Chloe’s chocolate brown ones and felt himself caving. “Where would you teach her?” he asked, borrowing time.

“There’s plenty of space in your workout room,” Chloe supplied, looking more enthused by the second.

“Miss Chloe said she would take me shopping for a leotard and ballet shoes if you said yes,” Molly inserted.

“They aren’t necessary, but most little girls like to wear them,” Chloe added.

Seeing them both so excited was his undoing. “Okay, then.”

“Yay!” Molly shouted. Then she slid out of her chair, jumped onto his lap, and hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Daddy!”

“At the end of the summer, we’ll have a recital,” Chloe said, smiling brightly.

The end of the summer. It was a reminder that she wouldn’t be with them for very long. Even though she’d just started, he’d already become used to her presence, and Molly obviously had too. Chloe’s real life was in Michigan, though, not here. She was just passing through, and he and Molly would do well to remember that.

Chapter 9

Chloe was waiting on the front porch with Molly when her mom arrived to pick her up for the weekend. Bryce had assured her that the transition would go smoothly, but Chloe had been battling nerves all afternoon.