Chapter Nineteen

“Hi, Daddy,” I said, picking up the phone and grinning from ear to ear as I set down my work. I glanced at my watch and saw it was much later than I thought. I had worked all afternoon and into the evening without realizing it.

“Hi, kiddo,” he replied, sounding relaxed and happy. “How's work coming?”

“Slow but steady,” I told him. “I'll get it all done in time. How are you?”

“As good as can be expected. The food here is terrible,” he complained. I could hear the TV on in the background. “They won't let me have any salt.”

I smiled, thinking of him pouting while watching Jeopardy in bed. “At least I'll get the appraisal done on time,” I promised. “That should make you feel better.”

“Don't work too hard,” he cautioned. “You should have some fun while you're out there. You need a little distraction.”

I thought of how Bastian kept finding excuses throughout the day to walk through whichever room I happened to be working in, even if Charlotte or Leo happened to be with him. It made it very