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But I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Daughter.
She was my daughter.
“It’s a position Earth Warriors is in desperate need of.”
My radar perked up. “Is the organization in trouble?”
I imagined they got themselves into some legally precarious matters, but the way Penelope had phrased it . . . sounded like more than something simple.
“No,” she said incredulously. “We have some great legal team members, but none are in-house. Most people don’t go to law school to give away their time.”
“Why would anyone give away their time?” I’d never understood why my father had practically done it. Sure, he’d made a decent salary, but it wasn’t anywhere near what he was worth.
I was a better lawyer than he was, but not by much.
What would he and Mom think about me having a daughter? They’d both be furious I hadn’t taken responsibility for her. I couldn’t wait for that tongue lashing.
They’d never been particularly fond of Alma. She hadn’t had much to do with them either. I supposed they’d be disappointed I couldn't make my marriage work, but my ex-wife was practically a stranger to them.
I was too for all practical purposes. No matter what they felt about me or Alma, I had no doubt they’d like Penelope.
She was looking at me like I was a creature from the black lagoon. I struggled to remember what I’d last said.
“I didn’t know,” I blurted. She hadn’t asked, but I felt this urge for her to see I wouldn’t have abandoned her.
Her steps faltered. “That’s pretty obvious.”
I was making an ass of myself. Maybe I was better at this dad thing than I thought. “If I had . . .”
“You didn’t.” Her fingers dug more tightly into my arm. “I’m not going to hold that against you.”
Some pressure I hadn’t realized was bearing down on me lifted. “You aren’t?”
“No.”
It was my turn to stumble. How had she already come to terms with that? I was still getting my footing, yet she seemed on solid ground.
She lifted her chin. “I trust my mom more than anyone in the world. And as I said to her earlier, she doesn’t do anything without a lot of thought and intention.”
“I . . .” I never had a problem speaking exactly what was on my mind. My daughter had me completely tongue-tied. “I’d like to know you.”
I hadn’t had much time to process any of the situation or how to best proceed. But what I’d said felt like an understatement. I wouldn’tliketo know Penelope. I was desperate to. And I really didn’t understand that.
“I’d like to know you too.” She spoke shyly as a small smile tugged at her lips.
Maybe I’d done something right.
“JoJo and I do this thing where we ask a question for a question. Sometimes we bank them.” I shook my head. It sounded foolish coming out of my mouth. She was going to think I was an idiot. And I’d lost count where JoJo and I were in that game. Did I even want to play with her anymore?
“Then I get three.”
I lifted a brow. “Why do you get three?”
“You’ve asked me three questions.” She grinned. “Now four.”
She was so much like me. “Okay, shoot.”
