Cross My Heart (A Contemporary Romance Novel)

wanted was a princess dress. Cinderella’s dress, to be specific. He remembered how she’d looked when she asked him for it—the eager, wistful expression in her big brown eyes.
    He’d gotten her the dress, of course. Along with matching shoes, a tiara, and a surprise trip to Disney World, where he’d made reservations for a character breakfast at Cinderella’s Castle.
    She hadn’t asked him for anything in the last two years. He had to ask her grandparents what to get for Christmas and birthdays.
    And from here on out, things would only get worse. The gulf between them would only get wider. Until Claire grew up, went to college, got married…at which point their contact would probably be limited to awkward phone calls once or twice a year.
    He was surprised by the sudden stab of pain in his chest.
    He’d been staring blankly out the window for the last minute, dinner forgotten. Now, slowly, Jenna Landry’s house came into focus as an idea took root in his mind.
    There was one thing he knew Claire wanted. Something she’d told him about herself, that he hadn’t had to learn from her grandparents.
    She wanted to meet Jenna Landry.
    He wanted to meet her too, of course, although for completely different reasons. Reasons rooted in animal lust, which was why he’d never followed one of those crazy impulses to walk over there and introduce himself. Logic told him they had nothing in common, that her eyes would probably glaze over in boredom after two minutes’ conversation with him.
    Now, though, he actually had a reason to go over there. If there was even a chance he could do something for Claire, something that would make her happy, he wasn’t going to pass it up. Jenna would probably think he was crazy—or maybe just pathetic—but he didn’t care. He was determined to make this trip different from the others, to make a connection with his daughter before it was too late.
    And Jenna Landry might just be the key to that.
    * * *
    “It’s a conspiracy,” Jenna informed her mother.
    She held the phone between her shoulder and ear as she bore down with the scraper, finding a simple, visceral satisfaction in peeling away the old paint and revealing the maple wood beneath. Maybe instead of repainting her aunt’s kitchen cabinets she’d sand and stain them, instead.
    “Inviting you to Sunday dinner is a conspiracy?”
    Jenna grinned at the acerbic note in Irene Landry’s voice. “You bet it is. First Hannah asks me to teach at her summer camp, then aunt Beth asks me to house sit. And now you with the home-cooked meals? You’re trying to get me to move back to Iowa. Admit it.”
    She was joking, of course, but as she said the words she realized she was feeling a little defensive about being home. Because the truth was, it felt good to be back. Not good enough to stay once the summer was over, but good. So she was doing a little preemptive communication, in case her mom had any notion that she could be persuaded to stay.
    “Don’t be silly. I couldn’t care less whether you move back to Iowa.”
    “Very convincing, Mom.”
    “Your father and sister are the ones who are all excited to have you home.”
    “Uh huh.”
    “So are you coming Sunday, or not?”
    “Will there be corn?”
    “Enough to feed a small army.”
    “Then I’ll be there.”
    They chatted a few more minutes before saying goodbye, and then Jenna turned her full attention to the cabinets. Aunt Beth had mentioned a few home improvement projects she could tackle over the summer—only if she felt like it, of course—and Jenna was surprised at how much fun she was having.
    She smiled suddenly, thinking of the cabinets in her parents’ kitchen. They’d let their daughters be in charge of painting them when Jenna was fifteen.
    Jenna, the oldest, had voted for purple. Allison, three years younger, had insisted on yellow. Megan was eight years old and the baby of the family, and she’d begged for pink. There were twelve cabinet doors altogether, which divided nicely into four apiece, so they’d agreed to compromise.
    Irene’s mouth twitched a little when she bought the paint her girls picked out, and it twitched even more when Joe Landry caught his first glimpse of the kitchen after his daughters had finished with it.
    “Jake and I are doing the living room,” was all he’d said. Jake was Jenna’s twin brother and the only boy in the family, and he and Joe had done the living room in a manly hunter green.
    Irene had finally