Chapter Twenty-Five
Sugar rush in full effect, Mia ran to the window and yelled, “Tyson!”
Kat opened the door and he scooped Mia into his arms and kissed her. Moving her to his hip, he drew her into a hug. “Ah, there’re my girls.” He kissed Kat’s head. “I missed you guys!”
Trixie came barreling out of the back room. Placing Mia on her feet, he bent and did some not so manly talking to the dog. “There’s Daddy’s beautiful lady. Who was a good girl?”
After doting over Trixie long enough to be forgiven for leaving, he turned and smiled. “I’m starved. What do you say I take you two lovely ladies out to lunch?”
Mia cheered and then added, “Tyson, I have a daddy!”
“I heard.” He sent Kat a sidelong glance and winked.
She smiled, grateful he was taking Jeremy’s arrival in stride. “If we’re going out, I need to do my hair.” She left the two of them to catch up.
Kat was finishing up her makeup when Mia yelled, “Grandpa!”
Surely, she’d misheard. Her father never came to her home. Walking into the kitchen, she stilled. Sure enough, her father was hugging Mia. Standing, he shook Ty’s hand. “It’s nice to see you again, Tyson.” His gaze found hers and he sadly smiled.
“Daddy, what are you doing here?”
“I have a daddy too, Grandpa!” Mia proudly added.
“Can’t a grandfather come visit his granddaughter?” A bit more forlornly, he said, “And his daughter.”
She stared at him, at a complete loss.
Tyson cleared his throat. “Come on, Mia. What do you say you help me take Trixie home? I’m sure she misses her doghouse. Plus, I have presents for you and your mom from Washington.”
“Presents!” She followed Tyson and Trixie out of the house and Kat was left standing in the kitchen with her father.
“If this is about Mom…” she began, thinking that must be his reason for coming there.
“This has nothing to do with your mother,” he calmly said. “I missed Mia. She hasn’t been over in a few weeks and that’s far too long to go without seeing her. I missed you too, Katherine.”
What?
“I heard about what happened at your mother’s birthday. That Price kid’s a shit. I don’t know why your mother insisted on pushing him on you. Kid’s got more money than sense.”
Who was this man? She stood, speechless. After a long moment of awkward silence, she cleared her throat. “I thought you wanted the match.”
“I want you to be happy, Katherine.” He grumbled something under his breath she didn’t quite catch. “Anyway… Next week’s your birthday. Why don’t you join us for dinner? I can have the cook prepare that white chocolate mousse stuff you like.”
“What about mom?” Vivian wouldn’t tolerate being usurped.
“Your mother’s had her way long enough. You leave her to me. And bring that Adams fellow. I’d like to see what kind of man’s spending so much time with my daughter and granddaughter.”
She blinked. Had there been some sort of alien invasion she was unaware of? Because this man was not her father. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” He studied her for a long moment, her shoulders lowering under the weight of his regard. “You look…different. Happy.”
“I am happy.”
“It’s hard knowing, as a father, that I can’t take any credit for that.” For the first time ever, he appeared unsure. “Is he good to you?”
“Who? Tyson?”
He nodded.
“He’s nicer to me than any man has ever been.”
Her father noticeably winced. Sometimes the truth hurt. “I deserve that, I suppose.” He took a deep breath. “And you deserve to be happy, Katherine.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
A long moment passed where neither of them seemed to know how to move past the emotionally charged exchange. He shifted, pressing his hands in his pockets and appeared relieved to find his keys. “Right. Well, I’ll let you enjoy your day. I’ll see you next Sunday?”
“Sure. And you know you’re welcome here anytime.”
“I might take you up on that invitation.” He nodded, hesitated, and left.
Would things ever be normal between them? No matter how much she told herself she didn’t need them, she’d always crave that parent-child bond she’d been denied. But there was a huge difference, between wanting something and needing it.