Page 186 of Ice Mechanic

I didn’t.

Not at all.

But suddenly, I have a memory of dad grumbling about how Chance would scold him if he didn’t eat.

“Did Chance call recently?”

“I believe it was yesterday.” She picks up a folder, slips her glasses on her nose and nods. “Yes, it was yesterday.”

Yesterday.

Chance and I were fighting and our future as a couple was up in the air, but he still called to encourage my dad.

My heart picks up speed.

Without a word, I wrench the door open and take off down the hallway. Chance used to make off-hand comments about taking my dad for a drive in his Lambo and dad would threaten that all he wanted to do was get under the hood.

What if dad went looking for Chance’s car?

I put the phone to my ear, ready to call Rebel and ask her to check the local car dealership, when the door of the nursing home bursts open.

My eyes trail from the dirty plastic slippers, loose pants, and soft cotton shirt to the green eyes I know so well. Relief collapses my heart and I stumble forward, gasping, “Dad.”

Tears crowd my eyes and slip down my cheeks as I wrap my father in my arms. He gruffly tries to push me off, but I don’t care. I hold tighter, violent sobs wracking my chest.

After a while, dad goes still and lets me cry on his shoulder.

“Thank you. Thank you for coming back safely,” I cry in a hoarse voice.

Eventually, I notice that there’s someone standing behind my father. I loosen my grip on dad and look at the man who escorted him here.

Surprise sends me skittering back a step.

The man has dark blue eyes, Prince Eric black hair, and he’s supposed to be on TV right this minute.

Chance.

CHAPTER

FIFTY-FOUR

CHANCE

April looks quickly away,wraps an arm around her father and tries to steer him toward the hallway.

“Hey, stop pushing,” he rasps. Glancing over his shoulder, he arches a wiry brow. “Chance, don’t let them take me away.”

“It’s okay, sir.”

“No, it’s not. They’ll lock me up again. They think I’msenile,son. You can’t trust them.”

“I do trust them.” I stare at April for a long beat. “Especially this woman, sir. I trust her with my life.”

April finally looks at me. Tears glisten in her eyes and wet her thick, dark lashes.

Whoa. My heart jackhammers wildly and then stops beating altogether. That look is brutally soft and vulnerable and all I want to do is wrap her in my arms.

“Thank you,” she says in a quiet, broken voice.

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