Page 13 of His Surrender

Dean glances down at himself. “Oh.” He lifts the shirt in his hand. “I was, uh …” He looks at his dad. “Liana spit up on me. Just needed to change my shirt.”

“Clearly,” Mr. Ledger says, failing miserably to hide his grin.

Heat floods my cheeks. “I-I can wait.”

Brilliant, Aubrey. Real articulate.

Dean runs a hand through his already-messy hair, looking more flustered than embarrassed. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting company quite this fast.”

“No,” I blurt. “I mean … yes. I mean …” Please stop talking. “I just got here.”

His mouth twitches into the smallest hint of a smile. “I’ll be right back.”

As he disappears into the bedroom, I let out the breath I was apparently holding.

Mr. Ledger chuckles beside me. “Nervous?”

I tear my eyes away from the hallway. “What? No.”

He raises an eyebrow. “I’ve known you since you were little, Aubrey.”

I groan softly. “Was it that obvious?”

“Only to everyone except Dean.”

Well, that’s a relief.

“Don’t be nervous. I’m gonna let you in on a little secret,” he says as he leans in. “He’s desperate, and he hasn’t slept in a week. You’ve got nothin’ to be nervous about. You could walk in here, wearing a clown suit, and I don’t think he’d notice.”

A laugh escapes me before I can stop it. “I somehow doubt that.”

Mr. Ledger grins. “Trust me. You’re walking into survival mode, not a job interview.”

As if on cue, Dean steps back into the room.

This time, he’s wearing the navy T-shirt, and cradled effortlessly against his chest is the tiniest little girl I’ve ever seen. She’s dressed in a pale pink sleeper; one chubby fist curled beneath her chin as she sleeps peacefully against him.

My gaze shifts from Dean to Mr. Ledger.

The pride on his face is impossible to miss. His eyes soften, the corners crinkling as he watches his son carry his granddaughter across the room. It’s the kind of look that doesn’t need words.

Love—pure and uncomplicated.

From what my parents told me, Dean had no idea Liana existed until last week. One phone call changed everything, and now he’s doing his best to figure out fatherhood while somehow running one of the biggest tech companies in the world.

I don’t know much beyond that. Only that he’s overwhelmed and desperate enough to interview a twenty-two-year-old who’s been striking out in the job market.

As Dean gently brushes a thumb across Liana’s tiny back without even realizing he’s doing it, something in my chest softens.

I barely remember Mrs. Ledger. I was only three when she died, but growing up, I heard enough stories to know how deeply her loss affected this family.

Watching Mr. Ledger look at his granddaughter now … I can’t help wondering if this little girl feels like a piece of joy they never expected to find again.

Dean crosses the room, stopping beside his dad. “Think you can hold her for a few minutes?” he asks.

Mr. Ledger’s face lights up as if he’s been waiting all afternoon for those words. “I was hoping you’d ask.”

Dean carefully transfers Liana into his father’s arms, one hand lingering beneath her tiny body until he’s certain she’s settled. Even after only a week, it’s obvious that handing her to someone else doesn’t come naturally.