Henry took off his glasses and polished the lenses with his handkerchief. His expression was bemused. “Then we have even more to talk about than I realized.”

“Oh, you mean this wasn’t about—” Finn was in new territory. He had been since the day he’d met Camille. But it wasn’t just Camille. She had a daughter. Finn had lain awake at night, mulling it over. Did he want to take this on? A widow with a teenager? “Look, if you’re worried about Julie—”

“I intended to speak of something else,” said Henry. “However, it’s good to hear that you think so highly of Camille and Julie.”

Finn felt a beat of concern. If this was something else . . . He knew how much she worried about her dad. Shit, maybe his illness had taken a turn for the worse. “Are you okay?”

“I’m gay,” said Henry, putting his glasses back on. “I came out to her today.”

There were speechless moments, and then there were speechless moments. Finn’s brain stopped working as he tried to figure out how to react. Finally, he gave up trying to think and simply guzzled the rest of his beer. Setting the bottle on the counter, he said, “Okay, cool.”

Henry burst out laughing. “Just so you know, you are not doing such a good job at acting cool.”

Crap. Whatever. “Sorry. You caught me by surprise.”

His laughter subsided. “No need to apologize. It’s a relief to be able to laugh about it. I confess that for the first time in my life, I know what it feels like to be falling, the way you’re falling for Camille.”

“Okay, so . . . wow. Cool.” Finn put his beer bottle in the recycle bin.

“Camille and I will tell Julie together,” Henry said. “Ah, my two girls. Perhaps I waited longer than I should have to come out, but my life unfolded exactly as it should have. Camille and Julie have been everything to me. Every breath I take. Every beat of my heart.”

“Sir, they’re both special. I realized that the first time I met Camille.” Then he remembered his anger about the ruined film. “Okay, maybe the second time.”

Henry sipped his beer. “I wish I could stay with them longer.”

Damn. “Are you all right? Listen, if you’re not well, we need to get you to a doctor.”

“No, you listen. There will be time enough for that conversation, and the time is not now. However, I am a realist. I know I won’t always be here for her.”

“I will.” Finn blurted the words, yet they felt as true as any statement he’d ever made. “I won’t mess her up. That’s a promise.”

Henry studied him briefly, then held out his hand to shake Finn’s. “I choose to believe you. And I already suspect you’ve won her heart. Now you must win her trust.”

“I assure you, this is perfectly safe,” Finn said to Petra, helping her into the ATV for a tour of the estate.