Always With You - Part Three(2)

I'm proud when I don't stumble over the word "father."

Sophie's eyes shift to Jason and I know she's itching to say yes. "I really would hate to skip work when you two have been nice enough to give me a job here. And we could really use the money." She directs her next question to Cash. "You really wouldn't mind taking her?"

And give you enough rope to hang yourself with? Not even a little bit, I silently answer for Cash.

"I think the trip would be good for us," Cash says pleasantly.

"All right then. What time do you need her packed and ready to go?"

"I need a couple of hours here. Noon?"

"That'll be fine. I'll let her sleep late then. She'll be rested for the trip."

Cash nods, takes my hand and we walk casually away, back toward the office. I can't help being a little bothered at how easily Sophie can be talked into spending days away from her daughter. Even though she grew up with Cash and he might be the little girl's father, we are all virtual strangers to one another now. Yet she's perfectly willing to let us take Isabella upstate for an indeterminate amount of days so that Sophie can stay here and flirt with her next mark. And I'm sure that's what Jason is to her. I mean, he's gorgeous and charming and dangerous, and any female would be attracted to him, but the way Sophie has so quickly sort of attached herself to him reeks of a hidden agenda. Just like I am convinced deep down that she has a hidden agenda with Cash, showing up here out of the blue, claiming he's the father of her child. The whole thing is just terribly unbelievable to me. Does it happen? I'm sure. But why would she so suddenly want Cash to be a part of their lives?

Because she wants something. I can feel it. I don't know exactly what that something is-Cash himself, security, something more-but I know there's more to this than the simple desire to introduce child to father.



       
         
       
        

When we are nearly to the office door, out of earshot of Sophie and Jason yet not within earshot of Isabella should she happen to have the door open, Cash squeezes my hand gently, drawing my eyes to his.

"Thank you," he says quietly.

I nod and smile. "Always."

He raises my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles before tugging me on through the office door. I guess I'll just have to wait to find out what the hell he's actually up to.





CHAPTER TWO



Cash



I know it's nosey as hell, but I don't care. I'll stand over Sophie's shoulder while she packs Isabella's things if I damn well want to.

And I do.

"I can just bring her out after she gets dressed," Sophie offers, noticeably unhappy about my presence here.

I smile and cross my arms over my chest. "I'm her father. I need to know how to pack her stuff, what she might need, all that. Plus, I might have questions."

"She's nine, Cash. She's probably more capable of taking care of herself than you were at eighteen," she quips irritably.

"I'm sure she's had to be quite self-sufficient."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asks defensively.

"Just that without a stable home and without a father, I'm sure the kid's had it rough."

"I've taken very good care of my daughter, Cash."

"Don't you mean our daughter?"

Her lips thin and she angrily continues folding Isabella's pants and shirts into a small Hello Kitty suitcase.

"Isn't she a little old for this?" I ask, flipping one of the pink straps that will hold her clothes in place inside the hard-shell piece of pint-sized luggage.

"I haven't really put buying new luggage for my kid who rarely ever leaves my sight at the top of my list of priorities."

"Well then I'll put it at the top of mine."

She growls as she stalks to the dresser and pulls out several pair of little girl's underwear, tossing them into the case.

"Other than clothes, what will she need?"

"Nothing that I can think of."

"What about her medicine?" I ask, watching her face closely for any sign of reaction. Her pause is ever-so-slight, but I still catch it.

"Uh, no. She'll be fine, I'm sure. All that fresh air will probably wear her out."

"Well, regardless, I'll take it. Just in case. Anything else I should know? Food or drug allergies, any other meds she takes, things to watch out for?"

"Not really. She's healthy. She did swell up a little right around a bee sting once, but I figure that was probably a pretty normal reaction." 

"Bee stings. Got it. Anything else? Things she does or doesn't like to eat?"

"She hates barbecue sauce. And most things lemon. And fish. She hates fish. Anything else is fair game."