Page 30 of Wandering Souls

He sighed and fixed her with a serious expression. “We’ve been together ever since, Abi. When you live through what we lived through, you tend to build a bond that will never break. Every one of them has saved my life a dozen times over. I owe them everything. We’ve survived because of each other, and our C.O.”

“Who was he?”

He motioned with his head to the wall. “The one with the plane. That’s Damien McCafferty.”

“What was he like?”

A broad smile lit Hollywood’s face. “A god.”

Her heart swelled. The hero she’d always believed in was real. She moved toward the frame he referred to, trying to see more detail but the camera was too far away. “He flew planes?”

Hollywood nodded and once again, looked over the photo wall. “Yep. A man of many,manytalents. Wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”

Like father, like daughter.Abi couldn’t help but smile at the rush of feel-good emotions that sped through her veins. Instinctively, she’d known Damien was a good man, that she came from good stock even if she hadn’t known him. Vindication bloomed in her gut and brought her to tears. She turned away, too late.

“Abi?”

“Oh.” She wiped at the wetness on her cheeks. “Sorry. It’s just wonderful to hear you say that.”

Mia entered the room, a ceramic serving dish held in front of her. A delicious-looking roast chicken sat in the center, surrounded by perfectly baked potatoes, carrots and Brussel sprouts. Abi watched her set the dish on the table, aware that Hollywood stared at her with a level of curiosity that unsettled her. He suspected something though she doubted he could possibly guess the truth, but blurting out that she was the daughter of his C.O. seemed ill-timed.

“Do you know Damien?”

Leaving that unanswered would be rude. “Um.” She glanced at Mia, who’s eyes widened. “Maybe that’s a story for another day, too.”

“Oh my God,” Mia whispered, growing terribly pale and swaying. “You’re her. Abigail. Oh my.”

“Honey.” Hollywood rushed to his fiancé. “Are you okay? What about the baby?”

She turned to Hollywood, her expression a mix of awe and worry. “Don’t you see it? Look at her.”

They both faced her. Self-conscious, Abi took a step backward. “What is it?”

Hollywood’s eyes lit up. “Oh, shit. Mia, would you—?”

Still in shock, the redhead nodded and started to back out of the room. “On it.”

“Hollywood? What’s going on?”

Rather than answer her, he went to the buffet and opened a drawer. Not finding what he was looking for, he opened another drawer. After some searching, he withdrew an envelope and tossed it onto the dining table. Then he pulled out a chair and motioned for her to take a seat.

Their odd behavior sent a shot of adrenaline through her system, stirring up the butterflies in her belly and though she didn’t want to sit, Abi had no option. Her legs threatened to give way. He sat in the chair beside her.

“Before we go any further, tell me about Damien McCafferty. Who is he to you?”

Is?Didn’t he mean was?

Abi took a breath, unsure how he’d take the news. “He was my father.”

“Oh boy,” he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. “Go on.”

“That’s it, Hollywood. I don’t know anything else. He died before my eleventh birthday but I never knew him. I told you, it’s a long story.”

Without saying another word, Hollywood picked up the envelope. He flicked through its contents before singling out a photo. Withdrawing it, he set it on the table before her. Abi stared. The impossible image sent her heart into overdrive.

“What the—?”

She blinked, expecting it to be a hoax but the photo sat on the table, silently mocking her.

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