Free The Millionaire Claims His Wife by Sandra Marton

said urgently, “please, say something!”
    Chase swallowed hard. It was years since Annie had looked at him this way, as if he were her knight in shining armor. Dawn, too. He couldn’t remember his daughter turning to him since she’d stopped skinning her knees playing softball.
    Both his women needed him to come to their rescue.
    It was a terrific feeling. Unfortunately he hadn’t the faintest idea how to do it.
    Think, he told himself, dammit, man, think! There had to be something...
    Dawn’s eyes filled again. “Never mind. You don’t have to spell it out for me. I’m old enough to understand that a kiss isn’t a commitment.”
    Annie let out a breath that felt as if she’d been holding forever.
    â€œThat’s right,” she said.
    â€œIt was stupid of me to think that you guys were going to give it another try.”
    Annie smiled at Chase over their daughter’s head.
    â€œI’m glad you understand that, sweetie.”
    â€œThere are no second chances, not in this life.” Dawn wiped her nose and looked at the trio gathered around her. “That’s from Kierkegaard. Or maybe Sartre. One of those guys, I forget which.”
    â€œYour philosophy course,” Annie said grimly, mentally ripping in half the tuition check she’d just mailed to Easton Community College.
    â€œOf course there are,” Chase said sharply.
    â€œNo,” Dawn said, sighing, “there aren’t. Just look at you two, if you want a perfect example.”
    â€œAll right,” Chase said, “I’ve had enough.”
    â€œChase,” Annie said, “don’t say anything you’ll regret.”
    â€œMr. Cooper, sir, as Dawn’s husband—”
    â€œDawn Elizabeth Cooper... Dawn Elizabeth Babbitt, you’re behaving like a spoiled child.” Chase nudged Nick aside, put his hands on his hips and glared down at his daughter. “This is all nonsense. Marriage statistics, divorce statistics, and now quotes from a bunch of dead old men who wouldn’t have been able to find their—”
    â€œChase,” Annie said sharply.
    â€œâ€”their hats on their heads, when they were still alive and kicking.” Chase squatted down in front of Dawn. “You and Nick love each other. That’s the reason you got married. Right?”
    â€œRight,” Dawn said, in a small voice. “But, Daddy—”
    â€œNo, you listen to me, for a change. I gave you your turn, now you give me mine.” Chase took a deep breath. “You loved each other. You got married. You took some very important vows, among them the promise to stay together through the bad times as well as the good. Think about that promise, Dawn.” He took her hands in his and looked into her teary eyes. “It means, you’ve always got to give it a second chance. It means, love doesn’t die, it only gets lost sometimes, and if you loved each other once, there’s always damn good reason to think you can find it again.”
    Dawn nodded, the tears streaming down her face.
    â€œExactly,” she said. “That’s why, when I saw you and Mom together I thought, isn’t it wonderful? They’ve decided to give themselves another chance.”
    â€œDawn,” Nick said, “please, darling. You’re upset.”
    â€œI am not,” Dawn said in a shaky whisper.
    â€œLet’s get out of here. Let’s give us a chance.”
    â€œWhat for? So we can break our hearts someplace down the road?” A sob caught in her throat. “You’re asking me to take a terrible gamble, Nick, and to do that would take a miracle.”
    â€œYes!” The word seemed to leap, unbidden, from Chase’s throat. Every head in the room snapped in his direction.
    â€œYes?” Annie said. “Yes, what?”
    Chase stared at his former wife’s pale face. It was a terrific question. What had he said yes to?