Page 37 of Lost Room Lawyer
I nodded, but I wanted to rip his hand away so he would stop hurting himself. With Dominic right there, I forced myself to hold back. “Rest well,” I said simply.
“I will,” he replied in a sing-song voice as he stepped out of the car. He grabbed his bag from the back seat and shut the door.
I watched him chat with Dominic as they headed toward their building. As I started the car, Nico leaned in one last time and waved goodbye. I just raised my hand briefly, then drove off.
Damn it! I almost kissed him!
Seriously?
What if Dominic had knocked just three seconds later?
Oh … Or maybe Nico had told him about what happened after the poker game?
Why didn’t I ask him?
I got caught up in a whirlwind of thoughts that distracted me from the rush hour traffic. When I finally arrived home, I was completely exhausted. I sat in the car for a few minutes, gripping the steering wheel and trying to take deep breaths. I stared at thewedding ring on my finger and felt a queasy sensation brewing in my stomach.
Okay. Act normal. It was just a somewhat unusual business trip, nothing more. Paperwork and receipts. The result and proof—three cardboard boxes—is in my trunk. So, let’s go!
But it wasn’t enough.
Only after a quick glance at the family photos on my phone did I find the strength to face my girls. It was just before six o’clock. Viktoria was in the kitchen, preparing dinner.
“Hello, sweetheart!” she said as she turned a few fish sticks in the pan. “You’re just in time. How was it?”
I placed the two boxes of Engadine nut cakes on the bar and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Good. Exhausting. But we found plenty of material.”
“Oh! You brought us something?”
I knew how much she loved nut cakes. Plus, it was a great gift for my in-laws, who always took such good care of Mina and Luna.
Since the fish sticks were almost done, there was no time for a shower. The table was already set, so I grabbed some drinks from the fridge. “And how did things go here?”
“All good,” she said, her attention focused on the sizzling pan as she added the salad to the bowl. “Luna no longer wants a cat; now she wants a dog. And Mina brought her boyfriend home on Saturday.”
My alarm bells went off. “Boyfriend? What kind of boyfriend? She’s fifteen.”
“Almost sixteen.”
“Why does she bring this guy home when I’m not here?”
“Guy?” Viktoria laughed. “He’s a fifteen-year-old boy. Not a guy. He’s sweet. Polite and decent. She’s still a bit embarrassed. Don’t hold it against her. You can call them down. I’ll be done here soon.”
When I fetched my daughters from their rooms, I slipped back into dad mode. Luna greeted me with a loud squeal and jumped into my arms, while Mina gave me the cold shoulder, very much in the style of a teenager.
I was surprised by how grateful I felt to embrace the role of father. I had always known it served as a hideout for me—but tonight it felt more important than ever.
At the table, I made sure the kids had their say, telling me everything they had experienced over the past few days, and asked questions whenever the opportunity arose. But as much as I loved my daughters, ultimately, this was nothing more than a pathetic attempt to distract myself from thoughts of Nico.
Mina and Luna ate quickly and had no interest in sitting at the table longer than necessary.
“So, how did your intern do?” Viktoria asked unexpectedly as soon as the girls had gone to their rooms.
I nearly choked on my water. The fatherly facade had slipped away with the departure of my two girls. Now it was time to be the sensitive husband.
“Was it that bad?” Viktoria laughed as she carried the empty salad bowl to the kitchen.
Apparently, she interpreted my surprised reaction as a sign that Nico had turned out to be completely useless.
