“Me, too.”
“I’m worriedabout you.”
“Me?Why?”
Sarah drew backand nibbled on her bottom lip. “Well, you’re going to be alone.Like, for the first time ever. I know it’s going to be scary foryou, Dad. I’m sorry I’m the reason for it.”
“Now cut thatout.” Lachlan shook his head. “I’m going to be fine. Living bymyself? I can’t wait. Wearing my boxers until noon, playing mycountry music at all hours without worrying about disturbing you?Bring it on.”
Sarah laughed,as he’d intended, and reached forward to hug him.
God, he’d missthis. Before becoming a father, Lachlan never cried. But sincebeing a dad? He was a complete mess. Blinking back tears, hesqueezed Sarah tight and then let go. “Now, enough of this. Go onand have some fun with your girls. By the weekend, you’ll be anold, married woman wearing a bathrobe and slippers.”
Sarah’s eyescrinkled and she laughed, easing the pain in his heart.
“Love you,Dad.”
“Back at ya,honey.”
CHAPTERFIVE
Emma finished herdrink, nodded her thanks to the bar tender, and picked up herpurse. She had come to Las Vegas to reconnect with her sister, butshe might as well have a look around this incredible city while shewas here. The guidebook she’d read on the plane had said there wereso many things to see.
She hadn’tbooked a show yet, so she should probably see who was playing andpick one. Friends who’d visited this incredible city had told herthat simply walking through all of the different casinos was anexperience in itself.
As she turnedto leave the bar, she spotted a group of four young women who weredowning shots. A fifth woman stood with them but wasn’t drinking.She wore a red dress with a silver sash with glittery writing thatEmma couldn’t quite read. Their easy smiles and friendly banterhinted at a long friendship and again, Emma wished Amber and Tashwere here, too.
The women inthe bar were beautiful. Early twenties, Emma guessed, with glossyhair and slender figures that reminded her of Michelle.
A pangtightened her heart. She missed her sister so much. Granted, theyhadn’t had contact in years, but that didn’t mean Emma hadforgotten her.
When Emma wasfourteen, she, Amber and Tash had pooled their pocket-money andbought a glossy fashion magazine. They’d taken turns flickingthrough the pages and then Emma got the shock of her life. There,staring back from the page was her sister, Michelle. Yet at thesame time, it wasn’t Michelle. Not the sister Emmaremembered and dreamed of meeting again. No, this woman was exotic,stunning and flawless. Her hair was smooth and sleek, hereyes wide and staring both innocently and knowingly. She lookedlike she was twenty-five, not eighteen.
Since that day,Emma had stalked her sister online. Googling had led to pictures inmagazines, and those had led Emma to her sister’s social mediaaccounts. That’s when she discovered Michelle was known as Mishka,a professional name that matched her allure. Photos showed her instunning locations around the world: Brazil, London, New York.Bikini shots had her in Hawaii, the French Riviera, Portugal.
And when Emmawas eighteen, Mish had posted a Christmas photo with the caption:Christmas with #myfam!
The smallcollection of photos showed Mish celebrating the festivities in astunning, modern house with an older man, a woman in her latethirties and two small boys whose faces were obscured by theenormous presents they held.
Whose family?Emma had wondered. Then, recognition dawned and it was like a knifeto the heart. She knew the man’s face. Granted, it was fuller andmore matured now, and the once brown hair was now sprinkled withwhite, but those immense blue eyes with crinkles in the corner werethe eyes Emma remembered.
Dad.
On one hand,Emma was grateful that Mish and her father were still in touch.That her father hadn’t dumped her, too. But on the other hand, thepain was sudden and indescribable. Not once had they bothered topick up the phone and ask about Emma or her mother. Her mother,dead now, had wished to see her famous daughter before she died.But that wish went unfulfilled. Neither had attended the funeral.Instead, Emma had buried her mother with only her best friends byher side.
Emma didn’tknow this new family. She’d had no idea her father had remarriedand had more children. Hopefully he was a better father to themthan he’d been to her. No, these people in the pictures werestrangers.
But all thatwould change on Wednesday when Michelle came to do the photoshoot.
Shoving thepain aside and shaking off the memory, Emma’s eyes narrowed on aman who was openly watching the young women. He looked to bemid-thirties; far older than the women he was ogling. His broadshoulders tapered to narrow hips. He wore a soft green businessshirt with a pair of light tan slacks that emphasised his longlegs.
Why was hewatching the women so intently? Was he a pervert? This was Vegas,after all. It could happen.
Emma sucked ina breath as his gaze shifted and met hers.
“Ah.” His voicerumbled like distant thunder. “We meet again.”
What?Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline. She hadn’t met anyone inVegas yet. She peered at him. Brown eyes held a trace of hostility.Laugh lines at the corner of his eyes disappeared as he glared ather.
“Hmm,” he putthe glass he’d been holding onto the small table nearby. “Youprobably don’t recognise me with my clothes on. I should introducemyself so you don’t start screaming again. Lachlan Spencer.”
Emma gaped. Itwas her intruder. The man whom she’d thought had broken into herroom. The security guard had marched him away and she hadn’t seenhim since.
Her face heatedas any hope of laughing about the incident faded away. She held outher hand. “Emma Donovan. I’m so sorry, Mr Spencer.”
“It’s fine.” Aline of even, white teeth gleamed before he pressed his lipstogether. He glanced at her hand and then ignored it.
How could it befine? She’d almost had him arrested. In nothing but atowel. She wanted to curl up into a ball and hide but shestraightened her shoulders. She owed him more than a simple apologybut that was all she had to offer.
“Really, I wokeup out of a deep sleep and you were there, and I didn’t know
