“What happened with Daniel?”

She opened kitchen drawers, looking for nothing, as she avoided his question. She swallowed the lump in her throat that formed at the mention of Daniel’s name, but there was no way to mask the sorrow in her face.

“Annika—”

“Papa!” She looked at him, calling on her anger. “What difference does it make? You never liked him. You got what you wanted.”

“I didn’t want you to be unhappy.”

“I’ll be fine.” She had no choice. He wasn’t ready to move on. Not yet. Maybe someday he would be, and some other woman would benefit from that. The thought of Daniel with another woman burned like acid in her heart and had her blinking back tears—again.

“I know why he didn’t come into the school building on Career Day.”

Annika froze. “You do?”

“I heard him in the waiting room that day.”

“Then you know—” Her breath caught.

“Yes, I know.” Her father’s face took on a distant, pained look, one that Annika had seen more than once. His eyes went soft. “You know what he has to do.”

She sagged. “Papa. He won’t. I’ve tried—”

“He has to be ready.” Her father inhaled deeply and stood to face her. “You know, when I came to the school that day with Sajan, I saw how beautifully you handled those disappointed children.” He paused and put a hand on her shoulder. Her father was not afraid to admit when he was wrong; it was one of the things she most respected about him. He lifted his chin and looked her in the eye, chagrin coloring his smile. “It was then that I realized I have let you down. You are my daughter, and you are following your heart—as you should. I was impressed. With skills like that, you should not have to work in a bar to make ends meet. It’s a sad state of affairs for teachers, I am sorry to say. But I am proud of you.”

Tears filled her eyes. She didn’t realize how much she had wanted to hear those words and see the pride in her father’s face. It didn’t matter how old you got: you always wanted your parents to be proud of you. She hugged him, relaxing into her father’s arms as if she were still a little girl. “Thanks, Papa.”

He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head. “In the meantime, you should get to work. Come, I’ll drive you.”