Page 130 of Rescued by the Single Dad

Not that there was anything wrong with it. It was a perfectly fine house—if not a little too big. Okay, maybe a lot too big. But it was also really lonely. Even after hiring an interior decorator to help “warm up” the house, it still felt cold and lifeless. At least compared to this house.

She didn’t even realize she’d fallen asleep until the echo of Clint and Talia’s voices downstairs roused her.

She climbed off the bed, keeping the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and headed to the top of the stairs where Talia, with a hot pink cast, smiled up at her. She lifted her arm. “Just a hairline fracture. And a mild contusion to my head. Otherwise, I’m fine.”

Rocco snorted from where he was on the couch. “Just a mild contusion, huh?”

Talia beamed. “Dr. Malone taught me that word. Also, hairline fracture.”

Fresh tears threatened to spill over, and Brooke’s throat was once again tight. She met Clint’s gaze. She couldn’t read it.

“Want to come sign it?” Talia asked. “Dr. Malone gives out Sharpies when he puts on casts. Everybody gets to pick three colors. I picked black, blue and purple.”

Brooke nodded stiffly and descended the stairs, joining Talia on the couch where she drew a heart and wrote, You are the toughest person I know. Love Brooke.

Talia read it and smiled. “I’m tough, but my wrist apparently isn’t.”

Rocco signed it next, added a small drawing of a monkey, which got Talia laughing.

Brooke tried to snag Clint’s eye as he made his way into the kitchen, but it was like he was refusing to look at her on purpose.

Rocco caught on, and his brow furrowed.

Pulling in a deep breath and rising to her feet, Brooke followed Clint into the kitchen. “I will be out of here first thing in the morning. I’ll call Inez and have her send a car. I don’t want anybody else getting hurt. Talia is hurt because of me. Because I’m here.”

His lips were pinned together, and his eyes roamed her face as if searching for a different solution. A solution that allowed them to have their cake and eat it, too. Where she could stay here, but keep the paparazzi and press from getting anywhere near her—near any of them.

Then he blinked and abruptly shook his head. “No. This is still the safest place for you. Until the killer is caught. We just need to stay away from the public spaces. I’ll tell the kids to stick to the hillside, and you will need to stay in the house again. We’ll put a gate at the entrance to the hill so nobody can come up here without being buzzed in by one of us. I’m committed to helping you, Brooke. I said I would, and I intend to keep my promise.”

“But Talia—”

“Is my main priority, yes. But I’m also teaching her to honor her commitments.”

Ouch!

That stung more than she thought it would.

He saw her as no more than a commitment now. As a promise made and a promise needed to be kept. That was it. Nothing more.

Rolling her bottom lip under, she plunged her top teeth into it and nodded. “Okay.” Then she made her way back to the living room, pasting on a smile for Talia, even though all she wanted to do was scream, cry and throw things.

Even now, her would-be killer was messing with her life. With her happiness.

They’d tried to kill her and failed, and now, her heart was in a million pieces, and she couldn’t even leave to go and let it heal properly.

“Can we watch a movie, daddy?” Talia asked from the couch.

“Sure,” Clint replied.

Talia beckoned Brooke over, and she and Rocco flanked the brave little girl as Talia put on Brave and dragged Brooke’s blanket across all their laps.

She couldn’t see him, but she could feel him watching her. Feel him pulling away emotionally.

He may not tell her, but she already knew tonight she’d be sleeping in the guestroom.

Brooke made sure to stay in bed long enough that she heard Clint leave for work in the morning before she got up. Talia made the best of the situation. Her cousins had all signed her cast, and as she liked to point out—at least it wasn’t her right wrist, since she was right-handed.

The kids all headed off to school, leaving Brooke alone with her heartache. Rocco tried to cheer her up, but it didn’t do much good.

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