Clara ran the moment she spotted Colt as he stood next to a table. Vicki's heart leapt as her gaze followed her daughter. Then her hands went to fists at her side and she plastered on her widest smile as she sashayed over. Heat raced up her spine, as she saw Colt in his blue jeans and button-down white shirt. Clara hugged her father, and his face almost showed relief. That wasn't possible. He couldn't know she'd spoken to a lawyer, unless Alice told him.
Clara babbled that she had a great day, and that Vicki was awesome. He mussed her hair as he stood and offered his arm to Vicki.
Her arms ached to hug him, but she held them locked at her side. Then, a second later, he opened his arms and offered a hug. Vicki's heart beat faster, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. His huge bicep almost blocked out the world as she did. She licked her lips and wished to kiss him again.
"Dad, Vicki and I went swimming, but I missed you so much." Clara jumped up in her seat and scooted over to the center as he stepped back. "Dad, you sit next to Vicki."
Vicki adjusted her shirt and glanced at Colt's brown eyes. If she was engaged to him, she'd never let him have dinner with another woman. She took the seat opposite their daughter and let Colt sit where he wanted, though he followed their daughter's orders.
"Bossy as ever." Colt wrapped his arm behind her chair. "Should I offer Vicki a napkin on her lap or just hand it to her?"
Vicki laughed and then shook her head at Clara. "Handing it to me is fine."
Colt winked. "No, wait. The princess is directing."
"Hand it to her and kiss her hand, Dad."
Vicki shook her head, though she imagined how his lips would feel against her skin. She took the napkin from his hand and threw it in her lap. Colt elbowed Vicki and her entire body relaxed. "Why did Belle leave so suddenly?"
"Gone back to D.C.," Colt said. "She had a job to finish."
Clara bounced in her chair. Colt leaned closer to his daughter. "Did I tell you how I met Vicki?"
Vicki blinked. He intended to change the conversation from Belle to childhood. She opened her mouth, but then Clara giggled. "How, Dad? Tell me."
Colt's arm on her chair seemed permanent. Vicki settled into her seat and scooted closer. "I followed your Aunt Alice to get her to go home so Grandma would serve our dinner. I'd told Aunt Alice not to talk to the blonde earlier, but she dragged me to say hello. Vicki then told me she sat behind me in Spanish class. I knew that, but I hadn't had the nerve to say anything to her."
Vicki's mouth fell open. "You knew?"
He stared at her and nodded. "You scared me."
He was never afraid of anything in his life. "You?"
His cheeks tinged red as he turned to Clara. "Yeah. Then she smiled at me every day after, and I switched my seat in accounting to sit closer to her."
Vicki added, "Your dad was two years older than us, so he didn't talk to any other girl my age."
"She says that now, but Victoria Morgan was the girl everyone was afraid of in school."
"I was not."
Clara asked, "You did? You were afraid of Vicki?"
Vicki shook her head. "Your dad has a great smile, and he's trustworthy. It's pretty rare in my world."
Colt winked at her. "I came home from a semester at college, and after I kissed you, you freaked out that you'd betrayed your friend."
"I just graduated high school." Vicki laughed as she remembered how innocent she was then. "Then I told you my dad would never approve."
"So Vicki and I were a secret, and we didn't tell your grandparents, either." Colt then winked at Clara. "Remember I told you not to tell Grandma when we visit Aunt Alice?"
"You dated my Vicki, Daddy?" Clara asked.
It was clear that her daughter intended to ask about her mother again. Vicki blinked. Her heart soared. This was the moment she'd been waiting for.
The click of heels interrupted. The waitress stood over them and placed drinks on the table. Vicki's skin was warm as Colt ordered for their daughter. Then she stared at the menu for ten seconds, and added that she wanted a chicken sandwich. Satisfied, she slid the menu to Colt. Her hands grazed his and heat ignited on her skin. Vicki hoped this interruption didn't change what had almost happened.
"I never had a mother, and my father never liked me," Vicki said. "John and Peter were older and away. All I had that summer was the music and your dad."
"My dad loves me," Clara added as she stared at Colt.
They had a bond that was deep and true. Vicki saw that. "He does."
Colt sat straighter in his chair. "Clara's easy to love."
Vicki smiled and held her breath. She had to try. "Having someone who's moral and upright standing next to you is good to have. I didn't think people like your dad existed, and didn't understand for a long time how amazing Colt is."
Colt lifted his hand off her chair then ran it through his hair. "No. This can't happen. Vicki, you were my every fantasy."
What was he talking about? She wanted to tell Clara she was her mother, and why did goose bumps grow on her arm?
Colt continued, "I had to grow up, and I spent most of my life between the middle of the desert, half a world away, and changing diapers."
She wouldn't try to erase their bond. She hoped to be part of their family. "But we're talking about our family now, and what's important for us to move on."
"Yes." Colt nodded and crossed his arms. "I hear what you’re saying. I can’t right now. We'll do this tomorrow. Right now, everything is going too fast. I just need to breathe."
If he didn't want to tell their daughter, then they had a big problem. She glanced at both of them and sighed. One more day wasn't unreasonable. She nodded. "Every moment of my adult life was spent with regret over what happened with you. I can wait one more day for the truth, Colt, but it's not fair to ask for more. I'm trusting you to do this."
Vicki also hoped to ask what had happened to Belle. One more day was all she could take, though. It was time Clara knew the whole truth.
"Is it true what was in the papers about your father with tax evasions that are completely legal?" he asked.
She closed her eyes, inhaled, opened her eyes, and answered, "Yes, every word. He cared more for the Morgan brand and his corporate legacy for Peter than he cared for anyone within the House of Morgan. My father believed that a man's job in life was to leave everything he could to his heir."
"Mitch Morgan hatched a scheme to get Collins’ lands years ago, because he'd figured out how to drill for oil. My father always thought yours was a thief, though that's not official." His eyes rolled to Clara, who sipped her iced tea, making faces of exuberance every time she tasted her drink. "You deserved better, Victoria Morgan. I'm glad you're free and can experience what family is supposed to be."
She shook her head, but Colt's words seem to find a way to sprint up her spine and left her tingling. "My shop and the money in my account is all I have now from the House of Morgan, officially. I refused to allow Peter to leave me shares."
"I'm sure the money is far more than most people can imagine." Colt reached across the table to stroke her hand, and her shoulders became less tense. "Vicki, you don't know how to trust anyone or how to do anything but run away."