"Daddy's Girl"

Chapter 9, Part 2

Grayson grabbed the phone, then set it down again. Growling to himself as he realized that was the fifteenth time that had happened tonight. What an idiot! He berated himself. Whining from upstairs in the nursery had him forgetting his own stupidity and the phone. "Daddy's coming." he called, his heart in his throat as he looked at that precious growing baby in her crib.

Her wide green eyes blinked up at him, and she cooed. He was grinning like an idiot, and feeling like the strongest man on earth. What was it about his daughter that could make him forget all of his troubles? Even that spit-fire of a sister-in-law who invaded his thoughts more than usual as of late. Eva kicked her feet and waved her hands around as her little face scrunched up in a pout as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Okay, okay, let's see here." Lifting her out of the crib, he set her on the changing table wishing for the thousanth time that disposable diapers disposed of themselves! Shrugging that thought off for a day he felt like an inventor, he grabbed a new diaper and applied it like a pro. His mother-in-law had been helping with a lot of the tiny things he hadn't known. Looking at his watch, he headed down stairs with her and set up a bottle to warm. Rocking her back and forth soothingly, he smiled down at her. "It's all going to be okay, you know that, Eva?"

Her tears stopped, and she cooed again. His smile widened as she looked up at him as if he alone could save the world. He was in awe and wonder once more, but his awe was silenced by a knock at the door. Turning off the stove, he walked over to the door and opened it.

"Hi Gray, Hey Eva." Raeanne stood on the doorstep looking like sunshine and rainbows mixed into one.

"Hey Rae." he answered, stepping back to let her in.

"What are you two up to?" she asked, looking down at Eva taking time to greet her, then she glanced up at him.

The air caught in his throat and he began choking, like an idiot.

"Are you okay?" she asked, taking Eva and patting him on the back.

He nodded twice to let her know, but she kept her hand there moving it in soothing circles. "I'm fine." he answered in a breathless voice.

"Don't sound fine." she answered, her fire every inch back in her.

Shrugging it off, he walked back into the kitchen and retrieved Eva's cooled bottle. Handing it to Rae, he turned his attention to the dishes. He wouldn't think about the fire mixed with compassion and who knows what else in her eyes. Or the way she was singing softly to his daughter, making their house feel so much like a home again. No, he wouldn't think of any of that. He'd think on how fortunate his daughter was to have an aunt who loved her. How fortunate his deceased wife had been with her family so close and forgiving, and how he had no right to intrude.

"Don't think like that." came a soft voice from behind him, that had him stopping in his tracks.

"Oh man..did I say that aloud?" he asked, groaning and smacking himself in the forehead.

"We don't just stick around for Eva, Grayson. We love you too." her eyes locked with his and the fire he'd been thinking on earlier seemed to spark between them. "I love you." she whispered. Then her mouth became a great big O, same as her eyes, and she shoved Eva back into his arms. "I've got to go!" she exclaimed as she ran backward out the door, and all too soon he heard her car's motor racing.

He still stood in the kitchen in the same spot, stunned into silence. She loved him? He looked down at Eva, who was sleeping now, and should be put in her crib. However, his feet felt cemented to the floor. What now?