Page 13 of Rules of Engagement
"I never should've let you talk me into that," he said with a wry shake of his head.
"It's only on Daddy-daughter Day, Daddy."
True. Dessert first once a week wasn'tthatbad of a thing, was it? Especially when she ate well the rest of the time. "So what's the answer? You getting hungry?"
"Yeah."
"Let's get moving then."
"Okay." Piper scrambled to her feet, and he held out the easy-on sundress she wore as a cover. Once dressed, she wriggled her tiny, freckled toes into her flip-flops, and he smiled at the mix of sand and the blue nail polish the last babysitter had applied.
They left their chairs and lowered umbrella behind and headed in the direction of the hotel and the indoor-outdoor restaurant.
"Where are we going?"
"How does a big-girl restaurant sound for today?"
"Okay. But I get ice cream?"
"That's the deal." He squinted behind his dark sunglasses, but the woman had her back to them. If it was Eliza, she didn't look happy. She paced the beach in back of the hotel with a cell phone to her ear and some kind of notebook in hand.
He and Piper closed the distance, and confirmation that it was Eliza came as a kick to his gut, a fact that wasn't lost on him.
After walking her to her door last night, he'd spent the ride home and the rest of his waking hours pondering the beautiful mess that was Eliza Bellefonte.
From what he'd gleaned from Mac about her business partnership/personal relationship going bad, she'd been put through the wringer and was still recovering on a multitude of levels.
If he was smart, he'd leave things as they'd ended. Especially since she'd declared herself uninterested. But he remembered her humor and beauty and sweetness, and from thirty feet away, Carter shook his head at the man stupid enough to hurt her.
Hearts were fragile and not to be toyed with, and he had a daughter growing up in a world where people trashed other people without a care as to the consequences to their lives. He wasn't okay with that. And even if he and Eliza were never more than friends, he'd at least like her to see not all men were cheating losers.
He and Piper finally made it to the area behind the hotel and the woman occupying his thoughts. Eliza released a low sound of frustration and muttered to herself, a small foot stomping into the sand.
"Is there a problem?" he asked.
"Oh!"
Eliza swung to face them, looking casual yet professional in white knee-length shorts and a blue sleeveless blouse, dark sunglasses on her nose. Her bag and sandals were tossed aside nearby.
He took in Eliza's pinched features and the firm line of her mouth and still felt the same pull he had last night.
"Hi, I'm Piper," his daughter said. "What's your name?"
Eliza seemed to notice his daughter for the first time. She managed a smile.
"I'm Eliza. It's nice to meet you, Piper."
"What's going on?" he asked, eyeing the wood pieces scattered on the sand. Another glance revealed plastic standup signs stating that the area was closed for a private event.
"I'm having… setup issues."
"Meaning?"
"The man who is supposed to be here putting this together right now didn't show and isn't coming," she said, voice laden with frustration.
"Maybe I can help you out."
"Oh, I couldn't… I mean—"
