flowers. The sculptured carpet was a mixture of cream and tan. At intervals there were small oak tables holding flower vases, figurines or baskets of dried flowers.
Turning a corner, they practically ran into an elderly woman carrying a little girl in her arms. From the red, curly hair and emerald green eyes Dani knew instantly that this was Vanessa's daughter.
"Oh, Mr. DeCara," the older woman said, startled by his sudden appearance. "I was just bringing Michelle down to her mother."
"That's fine, Mrs. Carols. I'll be happy to take her." At that, the woman handed Michelle to Michael and turned back down the hall.
Dani studied the child in Miguel's arms for a moment, warmed by her resemblance to Vanessa. Miguel's eyes beamed with pride.
"Michelle," he said, in mock introduction. "This is Miss Westerly. Miss Westerly, I'd like you to meet my granddaughter, Michelle."
Playing along, Dani reached out her hand to touch Michelle's petite one. "Happy to meet you, Miss Chandler," she said. Michelle only cocked her head and giggled in reply.
"She's beautiful," Dani told Michael, who only nodded his agreement.
"And shy, too, as you can see. She takes after her grandfather," he teased.
Dani rolled her eyes at him and looked once again at the lovely little girl. Seeing Miguel there, holding his granddaughter, the love so obvious in his eyes, reminded her of his warmth with Vanessa and how much that had once touched her heart. It brought back the side of him she had loved so much. The side of him she had forgotten in the years she told herself she hated him.
For a moment, it seemed they were transported back in time. Back to the Miguel and Dani they had once been. By sharing this special moment with him, Dani almost forgot she had ever hated him, or why.
"Doesn't she make you wish you had a little girl of your own?" Michael asked.
It was an innocent question, but it broke the mood Dani was feeling. She forgot the warm feelings she had experienced only seconds before and the bitterness of the past returned. Suddenly, she was seeing Michelle in a new light. This should have been their child they were admiring, their little girl they were fussing over. But that didn't happen. It was an experience she had been cheated out of. All the anger of the past welled up inside Dani and she knew she had to get away from Miguel.
Michael instantly saw the change in Dani's expression. "What's the matter?" he asked, confusion creasing his brow.
"I have to go," was all she said, turning and running down the hall the way they had come. With Michelle in his arms, Michael was unable to pursue her. All he could do was watch her disappear around the corner and wonder why.
Chapter Seven
Once downstairs, it took Dani a full half-hour to locate Traycee in order to tell her she wanted to leave. By then she had regained some composure, although she was still shaken on the inside. She had to get away from this house and Miguel as quickly as possible. She had known it was a mistake to come here in the first place and was angry at herself for letting her guard down and giving in to coming. She'd spent years forcing the painful memories of Miguel from her mind, now only to have him reopen those wounds by appearing in her life again. She was confused by the feelings he had revived in her and angry he had brought them to the surface. She just had to get away.
She found Traycee sitting on the beach with the advertising executive she'd met in the limousine. Traycee was disappointed to hear that Dani wanted to leave so soon.
"Don't you want to stay for the fireworks?"
"No, Traycee, I really want to go back now."
Cathy had spotted Dani and approached the group. She saw the strain in Dani's face. "Is everything okay here?" she asked her friend with concern.
"I was just telling Traycee I'd like to leave now," Dani told her long-time friend. Her voice sounded calm but the pain in her eyes told a
Turning a corner, they practically ran into an elderly woman carrying a little girl in her arms. From the red, curly hair and emerald green eyes Dani knew instantly that this was Vanessa's daughter.
"Oh, Mr. DeCara," the older woman said, startled by his sudden appearance. "I was just bringing Michelle down to her mother."
"That's fine, Mrs. Carols. I'll be happy to take her." At that, the woman handed Michelle to Michael and turned back down the hall.
Dani studied the child in Miguel's arms for a moment, warmed by her resemblance to Vanessa. Miguel's eyes beamed with pride.
"Michelle," he said, in mock introduction. "This is Miss Westerly. Miss Westerly, I'd like you to meet my granddaughter, Michelle."
Playing along, Dani reached out her hand to touch Michelle's petite one. "Happy to meet you, Miss Chandler," she said. Michelle only cocked her head and giggled in reply.
"She's beautiful," Dani told Michael, who only nodded his agreement.
"And shy, too, as you can see. She takes after her grandfather," he teased.
Dani rolled her eyes at him and looked once again at the lovely little girl. Seeing Miguel there, holding his granddaughter, the love so obvious in his eyes, reminded her of his warmth with Vanessa and how much that had once touched her heart. It brought back the side of him she had loved so much. The side of him she had forgotten in the years she told herself she hated him.
For a moment, it seemed they were transported back in time. Back to the Miguel and Dani they had once been. By sharing this special moment with him, Dani almost forgot she had ever hated him, or why.
"Doesn't she make you wish you had a little girl of your own?" Michael asked.
It was an innocent question, but it broke the mood Dani was feeling. She forgot the warm feelings she had experienced only seconds before and the bitterness of the past returned. Suddenly, she was seeing Michelle in a new light. This should have been their child they were admiring, their little girl they were fussing over. But that didn't happen. It was an experience she had been cheated out of. All the anger of the past welled up inside Dani and she knew she had to get away from Miguel.
Michael instantly saw the change in Dani's expression. "What's the matter?" he asked, confusion creasing his brow.
"I have to go," was all she said, turning and running down the hall the way they had come. With Michelle in his arms, Michael was unable to pursue her. All he could do was watch her disappear around the corner and wonder why.
Chapter Seven
Once downstairs, it took Dani a full half-hour to locate Traycee in order to tell her she wanted to leave. By then she had regained some composure, although she was still shaken on the inside. She had to get away from this house and Miguel as quickly as possible. She had known it was a mistake to come here in the first place and was angry at herself for letting her guard down and giving in to coming. She'd spent years forcing the painful memories of Miguel from her mind, now only to have him reopen those wounds by appearing in her life again. She was confused by the feelings he had revived in her and angry he had brought them to the surface. She just had to get away.
She found Traycee sitting on the beach with the advertising executive she'd met in the limousine. Traycee was disappointed to hear that Dani wanted to leave so soon.
"Don't you want to stay for the fireworks?"
"No, Traycee, I really want to go back now."
Cathy had spotted Dani and approached the group. She saw the strain in Dani's face. "Is everything okay here?" she asked her friend with concern.
"I was just telling Traycee I'd like to leave now," Dani told her long-time friend. Her voice sounded calm but the pain in her eyes told a
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