Cadence of Cranberries - Valerie Comer Page 0,47

meant to.

Jesus, take the wheel.

He’d never meant that prayer more.

Chapter Eighteen

“Charlie?” Dressed all in shimmery white, Julia stood in the archway between the foyer and the great room, her hand pressed to her heart.

All that white did not make her look like an angel. Nor did the halo of poufy fake-blond hair.

“Hi, Julia. Merry Christmas.” He offered a confident smile.

She looked between him and Katri, who’d bent to undo the clasps of her low boots and was studiously ignoring them both. Then Julia laughed. “Well, that’s nice. Now that you’ve delivered your festive message in person, feel free to leave.”

“I think I’ll stay for a while.” He toed off his shoes.

“I didn’t invite you.”

Saying Katri had was on the tip of his tongue, but that would be a lie.

A pretty boy not much older than their daughters sidled up behind Julia and put his arms around her. “Who is this, Cupcake?”

Cupcake? Seriously? Charlie managed not to snort. “I’m Charlie Jalonen, Evie and Katri’s father.” He stepped forward, his hand held out. “And you are...?”

Julia straightened out of the fellow’s grasp. “Charlie, go away. I’ll call the police if you require an escort.”

“Give me one hour, and I’ll go willingly.” Whether Katri would come with him or not was anyone’s guess at the moment. If she opted to stay, she’d need to find her own way back to her apartment. Evie could drive her, or maybe Julia’s stud muffin, not that Charlie would wish the joker on anyone.

The guy stepped in front of Julia, braced with his hands on his narrow hips. “Kyle. Kyle Stanford.”

Do not engage. “Pleased to meet you, Kyle.” Another of society’s little lies, but he wouldn’t make this next hour about Julia’s choices. This boy wasn’t a surprise. His ex had welcomed a steady stream of them in the past dozen years.

Katri headed toward the kitchen, and Charlie followed her. “Hey, Evie. Dad’s here.”

Evie turned from the granite counter beside the stainless double ovens and looked him over coolly. “So I heard.”

“Merry Christmas, sweetie.”

“Same to you.” Evie glanced from him to Katri. “Why did you bring him? You know it’s just going to be awkward.”

“I didn’t exactly invite him. He decided to come after he found out I wasn’t going to Spokane after all.”

Evie rolled her eyes. “She’s a big girl, Dad. Let her make her own choices.”

Charlie’s daddy-heart ached. How had he messed up so much as a father? He’d ceded the field to the girls’ mother, thinking his daughters would be better off with less conflict in their lives. Instead, he’d left them to Julia’s manipulations. If only he could go back twelve or fifteen years and do things differently.

“You’re just going to let him waltz in here?” Kyle’s voice rose in the other room.

Not that Charlie wanted to go back far enough to fix things with Julia. Not really. Just to where he could remain a strong male figure in their daughters’ lives. He shouldn’t have checked out. It had not been the right thing to do. It had been one more tactical error in a long string of them.

Charlie preferred winning, but the evidence surrounded him in this house he once called home. He’d lost everything of value.

But he’d gained Jesus. He’d rebuilt a relationship with his younger daughter. He’d stepped out of the rat race. He couldn’t go back. He could only go forward.

“I’m proud of you, Evie. Simons told me you’re doing really well at the office. Taking aeronautics engineering by storm.”

“Thanks.” A slight flush warmed her cheeks.

She wasn’t completely immune to her dad’s praise. That was a good sign, right? “Seeing anyone?”

Her chin came up. “No. You taught me better than that. A person can choose either their career or their family. Not both.”

Charlie shook his head. “A lot of people balance a family and a demanding job. I made the wrong choices when you were little. I’m sorry you feel you can’t have happiness as well as success.”

“Who says I’m not happy?”

“Are you?”

“Close enough.” Evie shrugged and glanced at her sister. “Happier than Katri.”

At this moment, neither of his girls radiated joy.

Katri leaned on the island and looked between them. “Dominic and I are just working through a rough spot. It will be okay. You’ll see.”

That was the first positive indication Charlie had seen, and it lifted his spirit.

Evie laughed. “It will all be okay when Dad stops dating Dominic’s mother. Rude move, Dad.”

Uh... “Rude? What do you mean? Winnie’s a lovely woman. Our relationship has nothing to do