"Daddy's Girl"

Chapter 10, Part 1


Raeanne paced the floor of her bedroom at her parents house. "How could I be such an idiot?!" she demanded of herself pointedly asking her image in the mirror. "He would never have known. Never." Tears coursed tiny trails down her cheeks, and she groaned at the sign of weakness. No, no, no! This was all wrong. She would not give in to the temptation of liking a man again, she'd promised herself that after Evan. After losing her son, it had become quite apparent that she could do nothing on her own or with help for that matter. Throwing her hands up carelessly now, she kept on pacing.
A sharp knock rattled the door, "Rae?" the soft voice belonged to Grayson.
"Go away." she said, her voice brooking no argument.
"I'm not going away until we talk." he shot back, for being a boring business man she had to give it to him. He did that well, that inflection in his voice that said 'you cannot make me move.' He had all of the makings of a great father. Too bad...No! She would not allow herself to take the bunny trails off the main road here.
"Well then I suppose you'll be here for a long while, did you pack a suitcase?" she asked, relying on her sarcasm to get her through slamming her hearts door again.
"I'm beginning to think I should have." he answered, though there was no humor in his voice.
Break down and he'll leave, she decided groaning against her own thoughts. Tears streamed faster now, and she wished that she'd stayed away in the first place. Left that first day after the funeral, but no she had to see Eva. Had to stick her nose into Gray and Eva's lives. Had to get attached! "Fine, Grayson, what do you want?" she asked finally, sliding to sit on the floor in front of the door.
"I want to know if what you said is true, Rae." she couldn't hear the pity in his voice, much as she hated to admit it. He didn't seem to be pitying her.
"Of course it's true, fine Grayson you asked for it. I love you, alright? Is that better? Now you can leave. Thanks for stopping by." with the words out of her mouth she broke down, tears flying in all directions and heaving sobs wracked her body.
"I'm not leaving, let me in Raeanne. Please?" he twisted the door knob, but she pressed hard against the door.
"No." she said among sobs and sniffles.
"Not just in there, let me in, into your life Raeanne. I want to be part of it, the truth is...I love you too. I don't know where it came from or how it happened.." his words were one jumbled mess but they were the greatest thing she'd ever heard.
With abandon, she rose and flung the door open. "You mean it?" she asked, feeling like an idiot as she wiped her puffy red eyes.
He nodded and opened his arms, "I mean it."
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