Riley's feelings toward her father were always complicated.
Since she was little, she had longed for his attention. In her heart, she believed Grant only cared about Lena, that she was always second, always unseen. Yet the moment he walked in and his eyes landed on her, I knew that wasn't true.
She opened her mouth. "I…"
Her mother quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled politely. "This is Janice, Elena's friend. She came to visit."
Grant stared at Riley for a long time. Too long. His Alpha presence, usually firm and controlled, wavered slightly. Then he looked away, as if telling himself not to hope.
"I just made this. Drink it while it's hot," Nicholas said, breaking the silence. "We had chicken soup yesterday. That can get boring, so I asked them to prepare pigeon soup today."
Grant's jaw tightened. "Not for you. Why are you so excited?"
The air shifted immediately.
