Page 18 of Delinquent Daddy (Banks/Kincaid Family 2)

"No, he is not Montgomery Kincaid," she said, voice stern and face set so she looked like a disappointed mother. "Now, answer my question. Did you write this letter or not?"

Boston nearly rolled his eyes. Of course she'd written the letter. They all knew she'd written the damn letter. Why in the world was Ellie beating a dead horse?

Instead of answering, however, Cassie pooched her lower lip in displeasure. She looked up at him with the saddest, gravest expression he'd ever seen. "He's not Montgomery Kincaid? Then who is he?"

He was tempted to say that yeah, sure, he was Monty. At that moment, he'd say anything to put that excited gleam back into her eyes.

"I'm Boston," he croaked, sounding like a complete ninny because he wished he was who she wanted him to be.

"Monty's my brother."

His daughter blinked, digesting that news. The slow sweep of those long lashes reminded him so much of Ellie, his guts knotted. God, he did not need a reminder she was half Ellie's too. It brought up all sorts of images of how she'd been conceived, making his chest constrict with a crazy, regretful ache.

If only he'd played his cards right ten years ago. If only he'd been a half-decent person, these two females would be his closest family right now; they'd probably be his entire life.

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Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

They wouldn't be strangers standing across an unfamiliar kitchen and staring at him with similar stares of wary distrust.

"But why didn't he come?" Cassidy asked, tugging Boston back to the situation at hand. She turned expectantly toward her mother. "I wrote my letter to Montgomery Kincaid, not—"

"Cassidy," Ellie cut in, setting her hands on the girl's shoulder and turning her so they were facing each other.

She moistened her lips, and Boston held his breath, realizing this was the moment. She was going to announce the truth. He felt like Darth Vader. A deep voice was going to proclaim, "Luke, I am your father." And little Cassidy Diane Trenton was going to be shocked to her toes.

But instead of confessing his paternity, Ellie said, "Go change out of your clothes. Take your bath and we'll talk about this when you're clean."

Boston exhaled, half relieved, half disappointed.

"But I'm not supposed to take my bath until eight thirty."

Cassie protested, sending a mutinous look Boston's way. "And what about supper? Supper's always at six."

"I think you'll live if we do things out of order for one night."

"But—"

"Right now, young lady," Ellie cut in.

Cassie glared at her mother a moment in protest before she caved and flung her long black hair over her shoulder as she spun away to stomp from the room.

Boston watched her disappear from sight. His eyes felt glued opened as he stared at the spot where he'd last seen 52

Delinquent Daddy

by Linda Kage

her. His daughter. He'd just met his nine-year-old daughter.

And all he'd said was, "I'm Boston."

God.

His legs gave out and his body sagged. He hadn't realized he'd backed himself against Ellie's cupboards until he reached behind him and caught hold of her countertop for support.

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