“Wow! I can hardly tell where it was ripped.” Hannah bent close to examine it, touching the spot that had unraveled. “This is awesome. Can I put it on?”

“It’s kind of damp. If your, uh, dad lays it on a bed and uses a blow dryer, that would speed up the drying process.” Christi addressed him for the first time since Hannah had sat beside her.

His cue to reenter the conversation.

“I can do that.”

Hannah gave him a leery once-over and spoke to Christi. “Could you do it instead?”

In other words, she didn’t trust him with her treasured sweater.

Understandable after the fiasco of the past half hour, but her wariness hurt nonetheless.

Christi shot him an uncertain look.

“If you can spare another few minutes, I’m fine with letting you take the lead on this.” Jack pushed off from the wall and joined them.

“Please?” Hannah touched her arm.

Only someone with a heart of stone would be able to resist his daughter’s earnest plea and beseeching eyes.

Christi caved. “All right. It won’t take long.”

“The bedroom’s this way.” Without waiting for a response, Jack walked down the hall, past the office that would become Hannah’s room as soon as her furniture—and whatever else she and Erica had chosen to keep from Natalie’s apartment—arrived. Somehow he’d cram his desk and printer and other equipment into his bedroom.

He waited at the door as Christi and Hannah followed. Christi glanced in the darkened office as she passed but didn’t comment.

“I’ll get the blow dryer.” He detoured to the bathroom, retrieved it, and returned to find Christi smoothing the sweater flat on the comforter. He plugged in the dryer and handed it to her.

“Thanks.” She smiled at Hannah as his daughter yawned. “Someone’s getting tired.”

“She’s on central time. We flew in from Chicago yesterday.” He hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans and remained at the foot of the bed.

It was impossible to miss the questions in Christi’s eyes—but she didn’t ask them.

“In that case, I’m betting it’s past your bedtime.” She again directed her attention to Hannah. “I’ll work fast.”

“Why don’t you get ready for bed while Christi dries your sweater?” Jack opened a drawer in the dresser behind him, pulled out a pair of pajamas, and held them out to her. “You can brush your teeth too.”

She took the pajamas—but hesitated.

“I promise to keep your sweater safe.” Christi touched her shoulder.

Hannah chewed on her lower lip for a moment, but in the end, she scurried into the master bedroom bathroom and closed the door.

Leaving him alone with Christi.

The silence between them didn’t last long. She flipped on the blow dryer, and the noise eliminated the possibility of conversation.