Michael turned around immediately, panic flashing across his face as he saw his daughters running through the construction area. He knelt just in time to catch them.
“Lily! Chloe! What are you doing here? You nearly gave me a heart attack!”
“We brought your date,” Lily announced proudly, pointing toward Emily.
Michael looked up.
Their eyes met.
For a moment the noise of machinery seemed to fade away.
“I’m so sorry,” Emily said shyly as she approached. “They came to the café and insisted you needed dinner.”
Victoria let out a sharp laugh.
“So now your daughters are bringing strangers to the construction site? Michael, this is ridiculous. We have structural problems in the west wing and you’re having a picnic with… a bakery employee.”
Emily’s cheeks burned.
“I’m sorry. I’ll just leave the food and go.”
“No,” Michael said firmly.
“You’re not leaving. This woman kindly brought me dinner and looked after my daughters. That’s more consideration than I’ve received all evening.”
Then he looked back at Emily, and for the first time his smile reached his eyes.
“And honestly, I’m starving. Those cookies smell amazing. Would you join us?”
The strangest “date” of Emily’s life followed.