Page 36 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

Hazel sat down at the dining table and began eating with her daughter. Looking at Evie’s innocent face as she scooped milky bites into her mouth, Hazel thought again about how difficult it must be for Callum to be around them. She had thought about that a lot since the previous night. She also had so many questions she would never be able to ask, would not ask. How had the woman died? How long were they together? Were they engaged? Did he love her as much as he appeared to? Now she understood why he usually refused to take cases involving families.

He had broken down just voicing that she had died and their unborn baby girl along with her. Callum was not a weak man mentally. He was tough, fearless. Look at his profession. He was a bodyguard, one of the best in the world. But talking about the woman from his past had brought him to his knees.

And then there were the other thoughts she had. The selfish ones, like, what did his loss mean for her, Hazel? She could no longer deny she had begun to have feelings for him. What would it do to her if he decided to turn away? He had already withdrawn and it had been nearly five years since the tragedy. Five years. Something terrible must have happened. Something sudden. A car accident? No one ever got over losin

g love—or a child.

“Mommy?”

Grateful to be pulled out of her never-ending contemplations, she looked at Evie.

“You’re not eating.”

Hazel hadn’t touched her cereal. She still wasn’t hungry. “I know.”

“How come?” Evie swung her legs under the chair and table.

“I have a lot on my mind.”

“Cal-em?”

“Finish eating, Evie.” Dang if her daughter wasn’t a perceptive little thing.

“Were you mad at him again?”

“No.”

“Good, because I want him to be my daddy.”

Where had that come from? Daddy?

“He’s not your daddy, Evie.”

“But I want him to be. I want a daddy. Everybody else has one. Why can’t I?”

“Someday you might.” Hazel couldn’t predict when and she wouldn’t rush into anything. The man she married would have to prove himself a good person and role model for Evie.

Callum could be.

Hearing Callum enter the room, Hazel hoped Evie would stop asking all her questions and expressing that she wanted a father.

“Good morning,” Hazel said.

Callum was all cleaned up and ready for the day in jeans and a long-sleeved white button-up. Sexy as hell. He didn’t seem reluctant to see her after what he’d told her. He seemed back to his normal self—and guarded again.

“Good morning.” He picked up the box of cereal Hazel had left out and poured some into a bowl she had also had ready for him. Then he sat across from Evie, who sent him a big smile.

“Somebody got plenty of sleep last night,” he said to her, smiling back.

Evie giggled as she chewed a mouthful of cereal.

Callum reached over and put his hand over Hazel’s, catching her by surprise. She met his sobering eyes.

“I’m sorry for leaving you the way I did last night,” he said. “I’ve never told anyone about Annabel.”

Hazel sensed she had a chance to ask questions. She’d be careful not to push him. “Not even your family?”

He shook his head. “They knew I was seeing her, but they don’t know she died.”

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