Undertow by Cherry Adair Read Free Book Online Page B

she was t he desperate-for-Daddy daughter that bought into his dying wish, despite heaving and heartache.
    Real y, Teal thought with wry amusement as she opened the door careful y and listened for movement from the other nearby cabins, she should get some bal oons for her pity party.
    She gave herself an attitude adjustment as she spread her blanket on the floor between the two Caterpil ar D398 marine propulsion engines and fluffed her pil ows.
    The humming power fed into her body like a current of soothing energy and her bel y calmed.
    Tomorrow she·d be sweet and nice to anyone she talked to.
    Reaching up, she patted the metal sides of her engines. Ńight, my babies.µ
    She couldn·t figure out why the hel tears were leaking into her ears.

    * * *
´Teal³µ She half turned to give Zane an inquiring look. She was sitting in the shade with her fish book. Probably trying to ID some of the fish she·d seen in her last dive. She wore a baggy blue T -shirt and butt-ugly shorts, revealing her long, pale legs o nce again. Í hate to bring up a sore subject, but you haven·t asked about your father,µ Zane said gently, dragging his gaze away from her surprisingly sexy feet. Í talked to him this morning.µ
    Sticking a finger inside the book to hold her page, she tilt ed up her face to look at him. Hope leaped like a flame in her curly-lashed brown eyes. ´He cal ed you?
    How is he?µ
    Zane leaned against the base of the crane, careful not to get too close to another prickly Wil iams. ´You know he·s refused to go to radiation treatments or chemo since he was diagnosed last year.µ

    Í only found out that he was even sick when Logan cal ed about the job a couple of weeks ago. Sam never said a word until he got on the phone that day. It was « It was quite a surprise.µ Her soft lips tightened. ´He·s stubborn and intractable.µ
    Zane·s lips twitched. Ĺike someone else I know.µ
    Ís that why he cal ed you?µ Instead of me, hung in the air between them. Ís he worse?µ If Zane hadn·t been so attuned to her, he wouldn·t have noticed the way her shoulders tensed as if she were waiting for the delivery of bad news.
    He shook his head. Ńo. He cal ed to tel me he went to the doctor in Tortola today.µ
    Ŕeal y?µ Her body tensed as she added cautiously, ´That·s amazing.µ
    Amazing, Zane knew, that Sam had been even closer geographical y and yet, stil hadn·t seen his daughter. He could tel that Teal·s outer indifference shielded deep feelings. What kind of messed-up relationship did they have that Sam·s own daughter felt like she had to hide her love for her father?
    He said as gently as he knew how, ´You know that it·s too late for any treatment to make a difference, don·t you? He has less than a year. I·m sorry, Teal.µ
    She turned away for a brief second. ´Me too.µ
    ´He loves you,µ he told her quietly. ´Brags about you al the time. Told us we couldn·t get anyone better to take his place.µ
    ´He asked me to ¶fil in.· µ She stared down at her short, jagged nails.
    Zane·s heart twisted in his chest. No wonder she·d come along. She had integrity, and if she·d agreed for Sam·s sake, no loss of personal freedom ón landµ
    would stop her from doing as she·d promised. Ít·s just hard for him to show emotion. You probably get that better than anyone.µ
    ´Yes, I do.µ Teal shifted her feet. Íf he has any warm and fuzzy feelings for me, he·s kept them smothered for twenty-something years.µ She shrugged. ´He·s a decent man who takes his responsibilities seriously. I was a duty he acknowledged when he didn·t have to. Not like my mom was going to take him to court. I·ve always been grateful for his generosity in paying my way out to the island for al those years. It meant a lot.µ
    Zane ached for her. Damn Sam. No matter how fucking sick he was, did the man have no idea how much his daughter craved his love and attention?
    Apparently not. The thought made Zane angry. He liked Sam, always had. But this was