Page 82 of The Sandbar saga

For the first time, he found himself angry at Katie and her choices.

He had a child.

A daughter.

Holding in his temper, he stared at the child. Callie.

He looked at Katie. Their day on the beach, he'd taken her virginity. She came to his bed that night, knowing she was going to leave him. Not a phone call, email, nothing to tell him they'd made a child out of their love.

He opened his mouth. Nothing came out.

He'd heard life stories that haunted his dreams, witnessed total breakdowns and breakthroughs that were unbelievable unless he'd seen it firsthand. Clearing his throat, trying to grasp on to the professional he was. The sight of Katie and his daughter kicked his feet out from under him.

He crossed his arms, trying to calm the emotions slapping him. "Does she know?"

Katie shook her head. "She's asked where and why, but I haven't...I couldn't tell her about you."

Why the hell not? He braced his elbow on the desk and cupped his jaw to refrain from voicing his anger. After several minutes, unable to sit still, he rounded the desk, needing to see his daughter better.

Scared of frightening her, he kept his distance and studied the child. She was beautiful and calm. In a tiny voice, she talked to the paper dolls in her hand as a happy child would do.

Without looking at Katie, he said, "Why now?"

Katie hesitated. He turned to her. His body vibrated in frustration.

"Damnit, you owe me an explanation." His heart pounded. "Why did you keep her from me?"

"Because you made it perfectly clear, I could never have you, and she was the only part of you I could have," whispered Katie. "But I don't want her growing up the way I had to. I want her to have two parents that love her unconditionally and will be in her life. I won't stand between you and her. She wants to know her dad, and if you could see her a couple of times a week, talk to her, help her understand the changes. I don't want my choices to scar her."

"You want me to tell her?"

Sadness came over her expression. "I trust you not to mess up. I don't want any doubts in her head that she is loved, and she is, Race. I love her with all my heart. She's everything to me."

He walked away from her, braced against the filing cabinet, and tried to slow his thoughts. He had a daughter. An opportunity to know Callie.

There was no question about what he'd do.

"Pick the days and time, and let my answering service know." He kept his back turned.

"I-I will. Thank you." Katie spoke quietly to Callie

He closed his eyes, fighting the urge to turn around and ask her to stay. To talk. To find out everything he wanted to know. To get to know Katie again. To get to know his daughter.

The front door closed.

He swept his arm across the cabinet, sending the items on top clattering to the floor. His heart ripped wide open, he cried for the first time since the day she'd left him.