Suddenly a Father Read online

  “I haven’t done anything yet.”

  He leaned in to whisper in her ear, “My daughter hasn’t cried for the past fifteen minutes. You have no idea what an accomplishment that is.”

  Although she knew it meant nothing, Millie was surprised to feel a tiny kernel of happiness unfurl in her chest along with a shimmer of awareness for Jake Travers. Best to ignore the awareness and focus on the happiness. It had been so long since she’d accomplished anything of value in her life. She’d learned to appreciate even the smallest victory.

  “It’s going to be okay, Jake,” she said, hoping beyond all reason that she could make it true for both of them.

  Chapter Two

  It took Jake longer than he wanted to get cleaned up, which was one more thing to add to his current list of frustrations. As a surgeon with Miles of Medicine, an international medical humanitarian organization, he was used to moving quickly. He’d made efficiency a priority in his life—in movement, time and, most important, relationships. He lived simply, able to pack up with an hour’s notice based on where he was most needed.

  The place he was most needed right now was in Brooke’s life, but it galled him how inept and incapable he felt. He hadn’t even bothered with a proper shower because the hassle of maneuvering himself in and out with his ankle and arm wasn’t worth the trouble. Without the boot or splint, he couldn’t put weight on his right leg or use his right arm. Instead he’d done his best to wash off the sticky juice residue in the master bath before dressing in his current uniform of a T-shirt and baggy shorts, the only clothes he could change into quickly despite his injuries.

  The door to the guest bathroom was closed as he came down the hall. He was grateful his sister-in-law had found him a rental property with two bathrooms in the main part of the house so that Brooke could have her own space. He couldn’t make out the words over the sound of running water but could hear her sweet voice rising and falling as she spoke to Millie Spencer.

  Unwilling to deal with the reality of how much he needed help quite yet, he started the monumental task of cleaning the kitchen. He’d wiped down most of the counters and covered the floor with almost half a roll of paper towels before Millie followed Brooke into the room.

  His daughter cradled Bunny in her arms in a fluffy towel. “Daddy, sniff.” She held out the stuffed animal to him. “He smells so good.”

  He breathed deeply but all he got was a big whiff of wet fake fur. “That’s nice,” he told Brooke.

  Millie grinned at him over Brooke’s head. “Laundry room?”

  “To your left just past the table.”

  She carried a small plastic stool in her hands. “Let’s get Bunny dry, Brooke. You can watch him spin while your daddy and I talk.”

  To Jake’s surprise, Brooke nodded. Since he’d brought his daughter to Crimson, the only time she would let him out of her sight was when she slept. Maybe Millie Spencer was some sort of kid whisperer. Jake sure as hell needed one.

  “So you’re Olivia’s sister?” he asked as Millie walked back into the room a few minutes later.

  When she nodded, he added, “You two don’t look alike.”

  “She’s actually my half sister. We have the same dad.”

  “Did you grow up together?”

  Her shoulders stiffened even as she gave him a gentle smile. “I’m guessing we only have a few minutes before your daughter gets bored watching the dryer. Is this really how you want to use that time?” She crouched down and began cleaning the paper towels from the floor.

  “You don’t have to do that. It’s my mess.”

  She didn’t stop to look at him. “Tell me about you and Brooke.”

  When her chin-length hair fell into her face, she didn’t bother to push it away. He wanted to reach out himself, to see if the caramel-colored strands were as soft as they looked. The skin on her arms looked just as smooth, although he noticed how toned they were as she wiped up the spill.

  “I first learned that I had a daughter two months ago.” He continued straightening the kitchen as her attention remained on the floor. Somehow the fact that both of them kept busy made it easier to tell the story. “Brooke’s mother was a doctor I knew from my travels, another aid worker. We were only together a few times when our paths crossed in the field. Then Stacy disappeared.” His fingers gripped the cup he’d just picked up so hard the plastic began to bend. He released his hold and loaded the cup into the dishwasher. “She found me where I was working near Haiti a couple of months ago to tell me I had a four-year-old daughter back in Atlanta who was asking about her father. Stacy wanted to give me a chance to be a part of Brooke’s life.”

  “That must have been a real shock.” Millie stood and threw the wad of paper towels into the garbage.

  Jake thought about her observation as he watched her wet a dish towel and begin wiping down the tile floor around the spill. “You really don’t have to do that.”

  “It will be sticky otherwise,” she answered. “Keep talking, Jake.”

  He hated this part of the story and the guilt and helplessness that went with it. Jake had spent most of his childhood feeling helpless to stop the damage his father caused in their family, and when he’d finally broken free, guilt over the siblings he’d left behind had become his replacement companion.

  He’d never expected to return to Colorado, but it was the only real home he’d ever known. The fact that both of his brothers had settled in Crimson and seemed happy with their lives was part of why he’d brought Brooke to his hometown. For a few brief moments when he’d first arrived, he’d hoped this place would have some special effect on him. But he’d only felt overcome by memories and more trapped than when he’d been injured.

  His family understood enough of what had happened that they didn’t ask questions he couldn’t answer. “I was shocked, to say the least. I’d never planned on having kids. My work is my life. Being a dad wasn’t part of the master plan. But I didn’t have time to think about what I wanted. Stacy and I argued and she left the hospital late at night. We’d been down there just a few days because of an earthquake and I’d been running on too much coffee and too little sleep. I didn’t even get a chance to process what she’d told me, but I followed her to the hotel. Once we got inside, there was an aftershock almost as big as the original. The roof of the hotel caved in, and she was killed.”

  Millie straightened once more, shock evident on her face. “Brooke’s mother died?”

  He gave a curt nod. “She should have never come down there like that. Things were too unstable.”

  “It was a big risk.”

  He looked past her, his guilt weighing so heavily that he finally had to explain in detail how he’d destroyed so many lives. “Stacy had called and emailed me over the course of several months. I thought she wanted to get together again and was avoiding her. I left her no choice but to track me down. In the end, I couldn’t help her because I was pinned under the rubble of the building. I held her hand in those last moments, but that’s all.” He gingerly crossed his arms over his chest. “Her parents were taking care of Brooke, but Stacy made me promise to look after her. She left custody to me, a man who didn’t even know his own daughter.” He shook his head, still unable to believe the events that had brought him here. “I had surgery on my wrist and ankle and then went to find Brooke.”

  “The grandparents were willing to let her go?”

  “For now.” He clenched his uninjured fist. “Brooke didn’t hesitate, which was the craziest part. Stacy had talked about me, had told Brooke she was going to find her father. My picture was in a frame on Brooke’s nightstand. I walked into their house in Atlanta, and she reached for me as if I’d been her dad forever. Like she’d been waiting for me.”

  “Kids can be pretty amazing,” Millie whispered.

  “I don’t know the first thing a
bout being a dad, but I owe it to that little girl and her mother to try. Stacy’s parents still want to raise Brooke. I’m not sure what’s going to happen—there’s some nerve damage to my hand and it’s questionable whether I’ll be able to go back to my old job.”

  “But you won’t leave Brooke?”

  He heard the unspoken accusation in her tone and almost welcomed it. Everyone he knew had been tiptoeing around his future since he’d come back to the States. “I want what’s best for her. You saw me today. It’s highly unlikely that I’m it.”

  “You’re her father.” Color flushed bright in Millie’s cheeks. “You can’t desert her now that she depends on you.”

  He shrugged. “I’m in way over my head here.”

  “I can help,” she answered immediately.

  Jake could feel that tension radiated through her, an edginess at odds with her pixie haircut, hippie-girl sundress and shimmering skin. “Why do you want to help?” he asked, taking a step toward her. “What’s your story, Millie Spencer?”

  A sliver of panic flashed in her eyes before she regulated her gaze. “I’ve worked at both elementary and preschools, but I’m between jobs. I’m almost finished with a degree in early childhood education and am taking a break from classes, which is why I came to visit Olivia. We didn’t grow up together, so we’re just getting to know each other. She invited me to Crimson while I have some free time. Getting to know someone and mooching off them for several months are two different things. I need a job while I’m here, and I’m great with kids.”

  “Do you have references?”

  “Of course. Although I just saved the beloved Bunny and cleaned your kitchen floor. I’d say that’s a pretty good reference for myself.”

  He held up his hands, his right arm difficult to hold out straight. “Like I said, being a dad is new to me. I want to make sure I do the right thing for Brooke.”

  She nodded, as if she approved of his answer. “I have a list of references in my car. I’ll get it before I leave. Is Brooke in preschool?”

  He rubbed his hand across his face then pointed to a pile of papers stacked on a nearby desk. “Registration is on the to-do list. I can’t believe how wiped out I am by the time she goes to bed.”

  “I can help,” Millie repeated.

  “I can’t drive yet and have regular physical-therapy and doctor appointments.”

  “That’s fine, too.” Her posture relaxed. “Olivia offered me the apartment above her garage. She and Logan live pretty close, so I can be here whenever you need.”

  He shook his head. “There’s a guest suite off the family room toward the back of the house. You can stay there.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s not...”

  “Look at me.” He shifted on his bad leg. “I can’t drive. Hell, I can barely bend down to pick something off the floor. If anything happens to Brooke, I want to make sure you’re close.”

  He didn’t mention the blistering relief he already felt at not being solely in charge of keeping his daughter alive. Jake had managed through a lot of high-stakes situations, but nothing had scared him like the responsibility of fatherhood. He hadn’t realized how much it weighed on him until the possibility of Millie presented itself.

  She continued to frown.

  “I’m harmless,” he said, flashing his most convincing smile.

  Millie’s eyes rolled in response. “Hardly.”

  “I’m desperate,” he said softly.

  Her smile was gentle and genuine. “That I believe. Are you sure this is a good idea?”

  “Nothing about my life is good at the moment but...” His voice trailed off as Brooke walked back into the kitchen.

  “The dryer dinged,” she said, bouncing up and down on her toes. “Is Bunny ready?”

  “Nothing?” Millie asked.

  “One good thing,” he amended. “She’s the only bright spot I have. I’m going to make things right for her.” He looked at his daughter. “What would you think about Millie becoming your nanny and helping with things around the house?”

  “She’s Mary Poppins,” Brooke yelled happily. Her eyes widened as she turned to Millie. “Will you bring the glitters?”

  “Of course.” Millie smiled then glanced at Jake, her expression wry. “I’m not quite Mary Poppins, but we’ve got a deal.”

  * * *

  “Are you kidding me?” Millie yelled as she burst through the back door of her sister’s house thirty minutes later. “Next time you should mention that you’re sending me into pure chaos before I get there.”

  Olivia Travers stood on the far side of the island in the oversize kitchen. She shrugged her shoulders and tried, but failed, to hide the small smile that curved the corner of her mouth. “Would you have gone if I’d explained the whole story to you?”

  “Gone where?” the woman sitting on one of the bar stools asked.

  Millie recognized Olivia’s friend Natalie Holt from the last time she’d been in Crimson. A tiny pang of jealousy stabbed at her heart for the life Olivia had made in this quaint Colorado mountain town. Millie had never been great at cultivating friendships.

  “To Jake’s.” Olivia drummed her nails in a nervous rhythm on the granite counter. “What happened?”

  Natalie swiveled in her chair. “Yes, what happened? Jake was always my favorite of the Travers brothers. Tall, blond and wicked smart.”

  “Well, now he’s tall, blond and a hot mess,” Millie answered, omitting the part about how terrified he seemed of failing his daughter.

  “Emphasis on hot, I imagine.” Natalie nabbed a chocolate chip cookie from the plate on the counter. “Want one?” she asked Millie.

  “Did Logan make them?” Millie asked, inching forward, temporarily distracted by her unwavering devotion to all things chocolate.

  Olivia nodded and pushed the plate toward Millie. “I’m sorry, Mill. But he needs help. I knew you’d be able to get through to him. Logan and Josh are worried.”

  “Then why is he alone with his daughter?” Millie couldn’t help the recrimination in her voice. “What kind of family leaves someone in his condition to fend for himself?”

  “What condition?” Natalie made a face. “I didn’t even know Jake was in town. Why am I always the last to know everything?”

  “Sorry,” Olivia answered. “Jake wanted some privacy until he got settled.”

  “Whatever.” Natalie reached out to pat Millie’s arm. “You’re new around here, Millie, so let me explain how hard it is to stay mad at Saint Olivia. She’s just too damn sweet.”

  “Tell me about it,” Millie muttered, scooting forward to take a cookie. Logan was a phenomenal baker, even if she questioned his skills as a brother.

  “Have a seat,” Natalie said, patting the chair next to her. “I don’t have to pick up my son for another hour and I’m guessing whatever’s happening with Jake is way more interesting than any bad reality TV that’s on at the moment.” She looked between Olivia and Millie. “Who wants to spill it? You know I’m not going to tell anyone.”

  Olivia sighed. “Jake was injured while on a medical mission near Haiti, an aftershock from a big earthquake. At the same time, he discovered he had a four-year-old daughter.” Natalie’s mouth dropped open, but Olivia continued, “The girl’s mother died when a hotel roof collapsed but had granted him custody. So he’s brought Brooke to Crimson while he recovers. She’s adorable and totally dependent on him. He’s working with an orthopedic surgeon he knows at the hospital between here and Aspen. It’s a renowned sports medicine center and I guess he has some friends there. At this point, they’re not sure if he has permanent nerve damage in his right hand or what exactly the injuries mean for his surgical career.”

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me any of that,” Millie said.

  “I thought it
would be better if Jake explained the situation,” Olivia said quietly. “And I wanted you to meet Brooke before you said no to working for him.”

  “Because I’m a sucker for kids.” Millie broke the cookie in half and popped the whole thing in her mouth, chewing furiously. “I’m a total sucker.”

  “I don’t think that at all,” Olivia answered. “But you love working with children. You have a gift.”

  “You can’t say that,” Millie said stubbornly. “You barely know me. I could mess up that girl.”

  Olivia blew out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t understand what happened at your internship last spring, but I know it’s a shame you’re giving up on your dreams.”

  “I’m not giving up,” Millie argued. “I took a semester off school. Big deal.”

  “Hold on, ladies.” Natalie held one hand out toward each of them. “Not that this demonstration of sibling dysfunction isn’t fascinating, but let’s get back to Jake.” She pointed at Olivia. “From what little I know about him, I’m guessing he won’t let anyone in the family help out. He always was a loner.”

  “He’s only letting us assist with the bare essentials,” Olivia agreed. “Sara’s away at a movie premiere for a few days.”

  “Is it weird hanging out with a Hollywood star?” Millie couldn’t help the question. She was oddly fascinated by the life her half sister had created for herself in Crimson. Olivia’s friend Sara Wellens had been a popular child actor years ago and had recently had a resurgence in her career. She was also married to Jake’s younger brother Josh, and together they ran a guest ranch outside of town.

  Olivia smiled. “She’s just Sara when she’s in Crimson. You’ll like her, Millie. She’s got some of your spunk.”

  Millie couldn’t imagine having anything in common with an A-list actress, but she didn’t argue.

  “Before she left,” Olivia continued, “the two of us went over with groceries and meals for the freezer. We wanted to take Brooke out for the day, but she wouldn’t leave Jake’s side. Logan and Josh have been taking turns stopping by, but it’s the same for them.”