Entangled (The Accidental Billionaires #2) - J. S. Scott Page 0,50
hurt that she didn’t automatically want to be a Sinclair. It told me how loyal she was to her mother, how much she loved the woman who had raised her alone for so long.
“Then I guess I’ll just have to convince you both to change your names,” I said as I grinned at her.
“I just really want us all to be happy,” Maya answered.
I hugged her close. “I want that, too, Princess. Very much.”
“You seem a little sad, too,” she observed. “Not like Mom, but kind of not totally happy, either.”
Damned if my kid wasn’t completely in tune and sensitive to other people’s moods. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
“I’m happy that I have you,” I told her.
“But you want us to be a family, too, I think.”
“I think you’re right, smarty-pants,” I said as I tickled her.
“Dad, stop!” she said with a giggle.
“Stopping,” I promised as I quickly moved my hand.
Note to self: my daughter can only take so much tickling.
“Can I come here while you’re gone to play the new piano?” she asked hesitantly.
“Of course, Princess. This is your home. I’ll make sure you have a key in your backpack.”
Maya had been diligent about playing the piano every day between her lessons, and I wasn’t just being a proud father when I said she was talented.
It hadn’t taken her long to pick up the basics, and she was now working on full songs.
Yeah. Maybe I had said that I wasn’t going to teach her, but I was right there with her every time she practiced to answer whatever questions I could for her.
I tried hard not to be an overprotective, indulgent father, but it was difficult not to want to make up for some of the time I’d missed in her life.
“Thanks,” she said with relief. “Someday, I want to play as good as you do, and as good as Uncle Seth plays the guitar.”
“Keep practicing and you’ll be better than we are,” I assured her.
“Mom says that I get all of my musical talent from the Sinclairs, because she can’t even hold a tune,” Maya mentioned.
A female voice came from near the stairs. “I think somebody is telling all my secrets,” Skye said as she breezed into the kitchen.
“Nah,” Maya denied. “It’s just nonsecret stuff.”
I put my daughter down as Skye handed Maya her backpack.
“You should have everything you need in there for several days,” Skye told her. “Be good for your aunt Brooke and Uncle Liam, okay?”
“I will. I hope you have as much fun as I’m going to,” Maya said confidently.
“She definitely will,” I said, my voice husky.
I stared directly into Skye’s beautiful green eyes. The glint of fear was still there, but she did smile. And that excited grin slammed me in the chest like a hard swing from a baseball bat.
I guessed a smile would work . . . for now.
CHAPTER 19
SKYE
“You have a private jet?” I asked with surprise as Aiden took the road to the airport.
“We all got the idea from Eli,” he answered. “That guy has more planes than United Airlines. So Noah, Seth, and I all pitched in and we share one. It’s technically the Sinclair jet. I can’t say we’ve used it much, but it’s going to come in handy right now. And it will help when Seth and I have to travel more in the future. He has visions of going international, and knowing Seth, I’m sure he will. And I’ll have to travel occasionally to meet with sources.”
I was so excited to learn what we were doing, but I was curious about what he was envisioning for his future, too. “Do you think you’ll have to travel a lot?”
“In the beginning, yeah. First, I need to get the processing facilities built, but then I will need to set up people and places around the world to source the seafood we can’t bring in here.”
“Any regrets about dropping out of Sinclair Properties?”
He shook his head. “None. And I don’t think Seth cares, either. He’s already counting the money he’ll bring in from both businesses.”
“I’m glad you could come to an agreement. I never wanted me or Maya to be the cause of your rift.”
“You weren’t,” he denied. “It had more to do with the fact that he had no right to try to run my life and decide what I should and shouldn’t do.”
“He was trying to protect you.”
“I get that,” Aiden answered. “But he went too damn far.”