Page 52 of The Fiancé Hoax

I opened my mouth to protest but stopped myself. It was his way of giving me a compliment.

“You have so much of your mother in you,” he said quietly, glancing at her old sewing machine. “She was such a fighter. She never let anything stop her. Not even cancer… Well, until she couldn’t fight that anymore.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I know, Dad.”

I was almost speechless. He never talked to me about Mom.

He looked down at the sleeve he held, then let it go. “Well, I better head out. I’m bringing some work home from the office tonight.”

“Thanks for stopping by, Dad. I’m… I’m glad you came to see the store.”

“Yeah, I guess I should have come by sooner.”

“Come back anytime.”

He gave me a nod, then headed toward the door. I followed behind him. Just before he reached the entrance, he turned to me.

“You know, Cooper used to have quite the reputation before he married Gen. He was known as a ladies’ man.”

Shit.

“Oh, really?” I croaked.

“Yes. And you would have been just the type of girl he’d go after.”

My heart pounded in my chest. “Oh.”

“If you weren’t my daughter and so much younger than he is.”

My throat was as dry as the desert. I managed to make a noise that approached a chuckle. “Right.”

“Okay, see you, Felicity.”

“Bye, Dad.”

I shut the door behind him and leaned against it, my eyes closed. Breathing out, I released the tension in my shoulders.

He was suspicious about me and Cooper. That made me nervous.

It was all the more reason to stay out of Cooper’s bed.

I still dreamed of our night together, but I had to stay strong. It was better for everyone this way.

Besides, my dad had come to visit the store for the first time ever. I decided to count that as a victory.

It was time for me to close the store, so I packed up my laptop and books, locked the doors, and turned off the lights.

Cooper and the girls would be back at the house, and I was eager to see them.

* * *

“You're finally home!”

Seconds after I knocked on the front door of Cooper's house, it flew open. Eva and Lily gave me hugs.

Eva took my hand. “Come on! We’ve been waiting forever for you to get here.”

“Where are we going?” I set my work bag down on the long table in the entry.