Michelle Major - Suddenly a Father

“Sorry,” Olivia answered. “Jake wanted some privacy until he got settled.”

“Whatever.” Natalie reached out to pat Millie’s arm. “You’re new around here, Millie, so let me explain how hard it is to stay mad at Saint Olivia. She’s just too damn sweet.”

“Tell me about it,” Millie muttered, scooting forward to take a cookie. Logan was a phenomenal baker, even if she questioned his skills as a brother.

“Have a seat,” Natalie said, patting the chair next to her. “I don’t have to pick up my son for another hour and I’m guessing whatever’s happening with Jake is way more interesting than any bad reality TV that’s on at the moment.” She looked between Olivia and Millie. “Who wants to spill it? You know I’m not going to tell anyone.”

Olivia sighed. “Jake was injured while on a medical mission near Haiti, an aftershock from a big earthquake. At the same time, he discovered he had a four-year-old daughter.” Natalie’s mouth dropped open, but Olivia continued, “The girl’s mother died when a hotel roof collapsed but had granted him custody. So he’s brought Brooke to Crimson while he recovers. She’s adorable and totally dependent on him. He’s working with an orthopedic surgeon he knows at the hospital between here and Aspen. It’s a renowned sports medicine center and I guess he has some friends there. At this point, they’re not sure if he has permanent nerve damage in his right hand or what exactly the injuries mean for his surgical career.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me any of that,” Millie said.

“I thought it would be better if Jake explained the situation,” Olivia said quietly. “And I wanted you to meet Brooke before you said no to working for him.”

“Because I’m a sucker for kids.” Millie broke the cookie in half and popped the whole thing in her mouth, chewing furiously. “I’m a total sucker.”

“I don’t think that at all,” Olivia answered. “But you love working with children. You have a gift.”

“You can’t say that,” Millie said stubbornly. “You barely know me. I could mess up that girl.”

Olivia blew out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t understand what happened at your internship last spring, but I know it’s a shame you’re giving up on your dreams.”

“I’m not giving up,” Millie argued. “I took a semester off school. Big deal.”

“Hold on, ladies.” Natalie held one hand out toward each of them. “Not that this demonstration of sibling dysfunction isn’t fascinating, but let’s get back to Jake.” She pointed at Olivia. “From what little I know about him, I’m guessing he won’t let anyone in the family help out. He always was a loner.”

“He’s only letting us assist with the bare essentials,” Olivia agreed. “Sara’s away at a movie premiere for a few days.”

“Is it weird hanging out with a Hollywood star?” Millie couldn’t help the question. She was oddly fascinated by the life her half sister had created for herself in Crimson. Olivia’s friend Sara Wellens had been a popular child actor years ago and had recently had a resurgence in her career. She was also married to Jake’s younger brother Josh, and together they ran a guest ranch outside of town.

Olivia smiled. “She’s just Sara when she’s in Crimson. You’ll like her, Millie. She’s got some of your spunk.”

Millie couldn’t imagine having anything in common with an A-list actress, but she didn’t argue.

“Before she left,” Olivia continued, “the two of us went over with groceries and meals for the freezer. We wanted to take Brooke out for the day, but she wouldn’t leave Jake’s side. Logan and Josh have been taking turns stopping by, but it’s the same for them.”

“Poor baby,” Natalie murmured. “This has to be hard for her.” She turned to Millie. “But Brooke liked you ?”

Millie nodded. “Kids trust me. I think it’s because I’m small. My mom is the same way—we put people at ease.” She pushed her hair away from her face with one shoulder and took another cookie. “We’re nonthreatening.”

“Right,” Olivia said with a harsh laugh. “Your mother was a threat to my family for decades. Joyce may be small, but she packs quite the emotional punch.”

Millie didn’t know how to respond to that. She and Olivia shared a father, a US Senator who’d remained married to Olivia’s mother up until his death a few years ago. Married, but not faithful. Millie’s mother, Joyce, had been Robert Palmer’s mistress for almost thirty years. She’d built her life around being available to him whenever he needed her, never asking anything in return—no financial support, no pleas to leave his wife. Joyce was the perfect other woman, making the time Robert spent with them fun and easy—a break from the pressures of real life.

But it hadn’t been a break for Millie. She’d needed more. She’d wanted a father who would come to school functions and swim-team meets. Hell, she would have been happy being able to tell her friends she had a father. But her mother had insisted they keep silent about Robert for the sake of his reputation and career. It had always been about him.

So, yes, she and her mom both had a gift for making people feel comfortable. Comfortable walking all over them. Millie didn’t know how to do relationships any other way. That was why she gravitated toward children. Kids didn’t keep secrets or have ulterior motives. And that was what had drawn her to Crimson, Colorado, and the half sister she hardly knew. Olivia had been kind to her, even though she had every reason to hate Millie. They were joined by a family history that had damaged them both.

“I’m not my mother.” She hated that her chin trembled as she said the words.

“Thank heavens for that. But Jake is part of my family now.” Olivia’s voice was solemn. “Logan hardly sleeps at night for how bothered he is that Jake insists on doing everything himself. I asked you to do this because I trust you, Millie. Maybe I see something in you that you can’t see in yourself right now, but it’s there. I hope spending time in Crimson will enable you to discover it again.” She smiled. “This place is special that way.”

Emotion welled in Millie’s chest. If Olivia believed she could help Jake Travers and his daughter, she wanted to prove her sister right. No one had ever put much stock in Millie. She’d been taught from a young age that the way to get ahead was to not make demands—to be amiable and fun and nothing more.

But Jake and Brooke needed more if they were going to make it as a family unit.

“You might be pushing it talking about Crimson being special,” Natalie added, her expression doubtful. “My experience begs to differ.”

Millie was certain Olivia’s friend was trying to lighten the mood, for which Millie was grateful. “You’re a Crimson native, right?”

“Born and raised.” Natalie gave an exaggerated flip of her dark hair. “And only a little ashamed to admit it.”

“You’re still here,” Olivia pointed out. “It’s a wonderful place.”

Natalie shrugged. “It has its good points. The Travers brothers are three of them.” She turned to Millie. “So are you going to stay and help Jake, whether he wants it or not?”

This was it. Her chance to make a run for it. Millie knew Olivia would smooth things over with Jake as best she could. This entire situation had train wreck written all over it. She’d promised herself that she was going to start looking out for number one, but the instinct for self-preservation just wasn’t in Millie’s DNA.

She bit down on her lip until it hurt then nodded. “Although it’s probably another on my long list of bad decisions, I’m going to stay.”