the hall to Ashley’s room.
The door was closed, so she tapped and pushed it open, expecting to find Ashley crouched over her computer or on her phone.
But the room was dark, except for a beam of moonlight that highlighted some clothes on the floor. That mess would normally be the source of a conversation, but, whoa, Lacey had bigger problems than keeping the house clean.
“You really asleep, Ash?”
“Almost,” she said groggily, sliding around in the bed. “You and Dad going for a walk?”
“Ashley, do you have to call him that?”
She sat up with a loud tsk. “He’s my father, Mom. Why are you so determined to keep us apart?”
Lacey squeezed her fists and let the wave of fury pass. “I am not determined to keep you apart. I’ve let him stay here.”
“Well, where else would he stay?”
A hotel. On another continent. Where he’s been for fourteen years. “Did you like the movie?”
“We watched Rio instead.”
For some reason she was relieved. Casablanca was her movie.
“Are you two going to take a walk?” Ashley asked again, hope in her voice.
“I think he is, but I don’t feel like it.”
“You should go, Mom. I’ll be fine here alone.”
“I know you will. I just…” She sighed into the darkness. “I don’t want you to get too attached to him.”
Ashley reached over and snapped on the light, her eyes blazing. “Why not?”
“Because you don’t know him. He’ll just—”
“Why can’t you just accept that people change, Mom?” Her hands clutched the comforter in frustration. “People grow. He has. He’ll tell you. I think he’s amazing.”
“I’m sure he is, but—”
“But what? What is with you?” She gave her big put-upon huff of breath. “I mean, most moms in this situation would be thrilled that their daughter wanted to have a relationship with her dad. I could hate him, you know?”
“Yes, I know.”
“I could push him away and say ‘no way, you’ve been missing for my whole damn life, so screw you.’”
“Ashley, don’t talk like—”
“I could! But I’m not and I think that’s very mature of me.”
“Yes, honey, it is mature.” And instead of sounding like her own mother and finding fault with Ashley, Lacey knew she should be congratulating her daughter on her behavior. But she couldn’t. “It’s also dangerous.”
“Dangerous?” She practically sputtered. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“Not intentionally.” How could she warn her daughter that loving this man could mean deep and profound hurt? “But he hurt me.”
“Mom, that was fourteen years ago.”
“But it shows you that he’s the kind of man who can, and does, leave when something more exciting comes along.”
“Oh, that’s just a lame excuse so I don’t get close to him.” She sank back on her pillow. “I think you’re jealous.”
“I think you’re…” Absolutely right. “A little out of line talking to me that way.”
Ashley made a pouty face but withheld an apology.
“Don’t you see, honey?” Lacey sat on the edge of the bed to get closer and make her point. “I’m terrified that he’ll get you all wrapped up in a father-daughter relationship and then, you’ll see. He’ll get a call from a friend in Madagascar to go zebra hunting or rock climbing or jungle hopping and, wham, you’re all alone.”
“He said he’s done with all that travel, Mom. He’s a chef now. He wants to open a restaurant.” She leaned forward, grabbing Lacey’s hand. “Ohmigod, Mom, what if he opened one here on Mimosa Key?” Her voice jumped an octave in excitement.
“Honey, please don’t start harboring those fantasies.”
“It’s not a fantasy. He likes it here. And, Mom, he still cares about you. I could tell when he picked your tart pan.”
“It takes a lot more than a tart pan to demonstrate love,” Lacey said. It took trust and sticking it out through tough times and it took a commitment. Nothing Lacey’d ever gotten from any man, least of all David Fox.
Ashley grinned, looking suddenly much younger than fourteen. “Mom, haven’t you seen the way he looks at you?”
“At me?” She waited for the expected impact of those words, but there was none. No feeling, no happiness, no excitement. “You’re always imagining things, Ash.”
“Aunt Zoe noticed, too.”
“She’s always imagining things, too.”
“Maybe you’re just too busy making out with that architect on the hammock to notice the guy who really matters.”
Was she? “We weren’t making out. Okay, a little.”
“Ewww, Mom. He’s too young for you!”
“No, he’s not.”
“Won’t you even give Dad a chance? It would be so awesome if you two got back together.”
Lacey just shook her head, very slowly. “I gave