He rummaged around under the sink and found glass cleaner, along with a sponge. “This ought to do the trick.” He rejoined her, closed the pizza box, and had the table sparkling with a few spritzes and swipes of the sponge.

By the time Erica returned, he’d stowed the cleaning material and was slipping his arms into his jacket.

“Are you heading out?”

“Yes. It’s been a long day.”

“You can still claim the couch if you like.”

“I appreciate the offer, but the hotel is fine. I’ll be back before you leave for work tomorrow, though. Hannah, would you walk with me to the door? You can lock it behind me for your aunt.”

“That would be helpful, Hannah.” Erica picked up their plates from the counter. “I’ll put everything in the dishwasher while you say goodbye.”

She’d gotten the message that he wanted another few moments alone with his daughter. Smart woman—but clearly one whose life would be turned upside down by the permanent addition of a child.

Hannah complied but trailed him by several feet and hung back when he reached the door.

He had forty-eight hours with her before they boarded a plane for Oregon on Thursday. That wasn’t much time to win her over, but he intended to give it his best shot.

“I have a whole list of things we could do together tomorrow.” Fortunately Erica had arranged for a tutor who’d worked in tandem with Hannah’s former school to help her finish her classwork for the year two weeks ahead of schedule. One less issue for him to deal with—and less distraction as they focused on getting acquainted.

If she wanted to get acquainted.

Hard to tell whether he’d made many inroads tonight, given her silence.

“Have you been to the zoo?”

She shook her head.

“Would you like to see it?”

She lifted her shoulders. Let them drop.

This was going nowhere—and leaving on such a stilted note wouldn’t be wise.

Tension pulsing through him, he sat in a chair beside the front door, putting himself closer to her eye level. Clasped his hands in front of him. “Hannah, I know this is really hard for you. I know you miss your mom, and moving to a new place is always scary. Worse if you’re going with someone you don’t know—even if he is your dad. But I’m going to do all I can to be the best father any girl ever had. I don’t live in a fancy place like your aunt does, and I don’t eat as healthy as she does, but I’ll love you forever and I’ll always take care of you. That’s a promise. Will you give me a chance to prove that to you?”

As she considered him, his heart thudded hard against his rib cage.