The Billionaire’s Bride Who Got Away

Chapter6

ADALYN

Adalyn was speechless as she stared up at the stranger standing in front of them, so close that she could perceive his scent of sandalwood and pine, thinking it smelled oddly familiar.

"I’m so sorry," she managed to say as she straightened herself, her voice throaty, unrecognizable even to her own ears. All plans to lash out on the stranger were forgotten, after all, she was to blame for not holding Daisy's hands. "I didn't know when she ran into the road. Thank you.”

He did not respond.

He stared at her with widened eyes and mouth gaping open, like he’d seen a ghost. Maybe the near accident had rattled him so much that it made him speechless, Adalyn thought.

Crouching, she pulled Daisy into her arms again, clutching her tightly, her own heart thumping wildly so that it hurt to breathe.

The familiar smell of the SheaMoisture kids shampoo she used in washing her daughter's hair filled her senses as she pressed her lips to the top of her head, reminding herself that she was still here. In her arms.

Her eyes squeezed shut until tears gathered at the corners. She couldn’t bring herself to think of what would have happened if the car hadn’t stopped.

It wasn’t until Daisy squealed that she realized she was gripping her shoulders and panting.

"Mommy, you're hurting me," Daisy mumbled into her shoulders.

A breathless laugh of relief escaped her lips as she loosened her grip just slightly, checked Daisy’s body once again to make sure there were no injuries. When she was certain that she was okay, she wiped her eyes and stood upright.

The man still hadn't moved, but his mouth was closed now. He stood there on the sidewalk, his face drained of color, staring at them both with an intensity that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the near-accident anymore.

Something about the way he looked at her made Adalyn take a step back, pulling Daisy with her, thinking maybe he was angry at her for not being careful and attempted to apologize again.

"I said I was sorry," she said, “I know I should've held her hand. She just…she saw her bag and she ran."

"Adalyn?" The man whispered. Her name on his lips was pronounced effortlessly, that it sent chills down her spine.

Adalyn threw her head back and squinted, studying him properly now, for the first time since her whole world almost came crashing.

Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dark hair, neatly styled. And those eyes…grey.

She was sure she didn’t know him. Very sure.

Maybe he was a customer at the café. She saw so many people there that she couldn’t possibly remember everyone. But this wasn’t the type of face you could easily forget.

And something about the way her name rolled off his lips unnerved her.

"Yes? I’m sorry, have we met before?” Adalyn asked, a frown forming on her face, desperately trying to recall his face but her head came up blank.

His brows dipped at her question, like he expected some form of recognition from her.

"Theo?," he said, his brows arching up, causing his forehead to crease. Then, quieter, as though the next word would do the magic, "Theo Cross."

Her frown deepened as nothing about his name stirred any memory. And she saw, plainly, the disappointment that crossed his face before he could smooth it away.

"Well, forgive me if I can’t recall your name. I attend to a lot of customers in a day." She shifted Daisy closer to her, suddenly aware of how disheveled she must look, hair in disarray, mascara probably smudged from earlier tears of pure panic. "Thank you again, erm…

"Theo." His voice cracked slightly as he finished off for her, like it took everything in him to say it.

She nodded, unable to hold his gaze for more than a second at a time. The continuous stare was giving her the creeps, it wasn’t the casual look of a stranger. His eyes searched her face as if he was cramming it into memory.

Daisy lifted her little face, curls falling into her eyes, and looked at the stranger with the unfiltered curiosity of a five-year-old.

"Your eyes are grey," she announced, totally unaware of what was going on.

"Daisy." Adalyn felt heat rise into her face. Kids will literally say anything without thinking.

“They are.” Theo said, his voice barely a whisper, pressing a hand flat against his chest as if he was trying to stop his heart from falling. “Yours are too.”

“Mommy says mine are like storm clouds,” Daisy said, twisting her fingers into her sweater.

"She’s right,” he murmured, his gaze shifting to Adalyn; intense and searching, far too much for a stranger.

Adalyn's arms tightened around her daughter without her quite meaning to, his stares set off a quiet warning bell in her gut.

"We should get going," she said quickly, stepping backward. "It's getting late, and she's had enough excitement for one evening."

It took a minute for him to reply.

"Right. Of course." Theo cleared his throat, forcing his hands into his pockets, though his eyes never once left them. "Take care of yourselves."

Adalyn picked Daisy up, balanced her on her hips and turned to leave, the seagulls crying somewhere over the darkening water behind them.

"Wait!" Daisy squirmed, twisting to look back over Adalyn's shoulder. "Mister."

Adalyn stopped. Turned halfway.

"Do you want to come to my mommy's café tomorrow?" Daisy asked, completely pleased with herself. "We make the best muffins. Blueberry. I helped make them."

"Daisy, no…he’s busy,” Adalyn started, mortified. She caught Theo’s eyes, offered a strained, apologetic smile for Daisy’s sudden blurt, while keeping her distance. “I’m sorry. Thank you again… Mr. Cross.

Theo hesitated, a flicker of something raw crossing his face before he managed a tight nod. "I would love that,” he said quietly, staring at Daisy. "That’s… if your mom is okay with it."

Adalyn stilled, breath suspended. The weird familiar pull in her chest clashing with her protective instincts. Caught off guard, she managed a faint nod. “We open at seven.” She heard herself say before turning around and walking away as fast as she could.

As she walked away, she felt his eyes drill into her back.