After the Storm (Cottonwood Cove, #5)

by Laura Pavlov

The way his brows furrowed as he watched the car drive away had my heart threatening to burst. The protective stance, the concern—it was everything I knew he’d be as a father. But witnessing it was different. Witnessing it hurt me in a way that I couldn’t explain to even myself. I was getting a glimpse of the life that should have been mine. Time had never been on our side. And that certainly hadn’t changed.

“She looks at you like she’s the luckiest girl in the world to have you for a daddy.”

I reached for her hand, and my eye caught on a tiny tattoo on the inside of her wrist. It looked to be a small bird. Raven.

Gracie’s hands flew to her mouth. “Oh. Daddy’s not happy about you telling me that horses are your first love. That must be a secret, too. Daddy said it’s a secret that he loves you and me and that we are in his heart. You can’t talk about that at work, Presley.”

I know I was meant to be her father. I just always thought I was meant to be the man who’d grow old with you, too.”

“It’s a place for a raven to spread her wings and fly.”

“I’m coming with you, Daddy. Let’s go get the other piece of our hearts.”