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And yet, I was usually pretty good at summing people up in a few moments. I’d summed Cassie up to angry, temperamental, know it all, not used to people telling her what to do. Used to being in control. But this Cassie had been different. There was something soft about her I hadn’t recognized before. I thought she was all angles, all sharp edges, yet when she smiled, she was different.
That thing flickered again, and it only made me angry. I didn’t have good luck with choosing good women, so I had to stay far away from whatever instincts I had that made me make the wrong choice twice.
“Daddy, why do you look like that?”
“Look like what?” I grumbled, loosening the tie at my neck, and unbuttoning my shirt.
God, was it hot in here or what?
“Like you want to hit something. Like you’re angry.”
When I faced Camilla, she was watching me with those big, pretty eyes, and all the harsh lines of my expression softened.
“Sorry, Cam. I’m just thinking about something.”
“Like science?”
I let out a breathy laugh at her innocent question. “Something like that. What are you doing?”
“Coloring in a picture of a dinosaur. I want to make it as accurate as possible, but I don’t quite have the right colors.”
“I’m sure it’ll be great, honey. Thanks for coming in with me today. How was your time with Cassie?”
“Oh, it was great!” She instantly put down her crayons and started talking. “She showed me blood cells on slides under the microscope! Said she’s there to help people find a way to deal with a bad disease they have. Isn’t that sad, Daddy?” She frowned, and I wondered how a beautiful, kind, good-hearted child had ever come out of Melissa and me.
She was better than the two of us put together.
“Yes, Cam. That’s sad. But it’s a good thing that scientists are working hard to find a cure, right?”
“I think so too. I want to be just like Cassie when I grow up, Daddy!”
“Do you?” I asked, amused. “Why’s that?”
“She was really nice and smart. And she helped me get protective eye gear for Tony! Isn’t that nice?” Camilla was smiling, picking up Tony and squeezing him tight.
“Yeah, honey. That’s nice. You think you want to see her again?”
“Oh yes, but I know that scientists are very busy. You told me that, Daddy. So, we can’t disturb her while she’s working on her super-secret projects, saving the world from the scary disease.” Camilla put a finger to her lips, and again I laughed, still shocked at how everything had turned out.
Guess I’d have to find another way to keep Cassie in line. No doubt she was smug that my idea hadn’t worked as well as I’d expected. She could still be a problem after this.
“Daddy, do you not like Cassie?”
My eyes snapped back to Camilla, and she had started coloring again, not looking at me.
“What do you mean? Why do you say that?” The room felt like it was getting even hotter.
Shrugging, she said, “I don’t know. Just a feeling I got. When you came back in, you were acting funny. I don’t think she likesyou, you know?”
“Really? Is that the kind of thing you want to say to your father?” I lifted a brow at her, already knowing full well about Cassie’s feelings.
“Yeah.” Camilla scrunched up her nose. “She doesn’t like you. I decided. She was so nice to me, but then when you came in, she got all stiff. She wasn’t smiling anymore.”
“Well, I think that you’re far too precocious for being only six, Cam.” I stood, tired of talking about this. “I’m going to go outside and check up on a few things. Can you take your coloring books, so I can leave you with Dan, the security guard?”
“Yep.” Camilla picked up her stuff and Tony and followed me out the door.
I led her to the front of the office and put her next to Dan. He was a nice guy; he wouldn’t mind.
