A Winter's Rose by Erica Spindler Read Free Book Online Page A

“You really think so?”
    â€œI do. Trust me on this.” Bentley patted her hand. “I had a good time today. How about you?”
    â€œYeah. I had a lot of fun.” Chloe traced her finger through the beads of moisture on the side of her glass, her smile fading. “The last couple of days reminded me of—” She bit back the words and shook her head. “Never mind.”
    â€œWhat?” Bentley prodded. “You can tell me.”
    Chloe was quiet for a moment, then she shrugged. “Mom and I used to do this all the time. Before—” Chloe shrugged again, this time with such adult nonchalance that Bentley ached “—before she met Jacques. Then she didn’t have time for me any more.”
    â€œOh, Chloe…” Bentley let her words trail off, unsure what to say and wishing she had something better, something more profound, to give Chloe than “I’m sorry.”
    â€œHe’s a real slimeball, too. But it didn’t matter what I thought, she married him anyway.” Chloe met Bentley’s gaze, hers filled with defiance. “That’s why I’m here, you know. I got in the way. That’s why she shipped me off to that…prison.” She jutted her chin out. “Now I’m in Daddy’s way.”
    â€œThat’s not true!” Bentley said quickly, hurting for the child and wanting to reassure her. “I can’t speak for your mother, but your father—”
    â€œWhat?” she interrupted sarcastically. “My father loves me very much? Get a life.” Chloe jumped to her feet and began to gather up her purchases. “You know, I thought you were different, I thought you were pretty cool. But you’re just like the rest. Grown-ups always stick together.”
    â€œChloe, wait.” Bentley grabbed her hand. “I didn’t mean to upset you, or to imply that your feelings weren’t valid. It’s just that, yes, I can tell your father loves you…very much. Maybe he just doesn’t know how to show it. Maybe he—”
    â€œSave it.” Chloe snatched her hand away, her eyes filling with tears. “You don’t know anything about me. Neither of them wanted me. They still don’t.”
    Bentley swore silently and stood. “You’re right, I don’t know much about you. But I know what I see. I know what I feel.” When Chloe wouldn’t look at her, Bentley touched her arm. “I am trying to be honest with you.”
    Fighting tears, Chloe shrugged. “This whole thing is totally lame. I’m ready to go.”
    â€œFine,” Bentley said, wishing she could solve Chloe’s problems, ease her pain, with just a smile or a word. But she couldn’t, she didn’t have that kind of magic. So instead, she linked her arm with
Chloe’s and said, “Let’s go home.”
    Several hours later Bentley waited for Jackson. Upon returning, Chloe had retreated to her room, giving Bentley a lot of time to think about what the child had told her. And the more she thought, the more concerned she became. She needed to talk to Jackson about his daughter, to bring up some of the things that were bothering her.
    And talking to Jackson, she suspected, would not be easy to do.
    Tossing aside the fashion magazine she’d hardly glanced at, Bentley jumped to her feet and crossed to one of the windows that faced the road. She wasn’t a teacher, she reminded herself. She wasn’t
Chloe’s parent or guardian. She was a sitter, a paid playmate. Just as Jackson had asked, she had kept Chloe safe and happy. She had done her job.
    So what if Chloe had her own American Express gold card? So what if Bentley had seen a crumpled pack of cigarettes in Chloe’s purse? So what if Chloe thought her father considered her nothing more than an annoyance? Bentley’s heart wrenched even as she sternly told herself that it was none of her