Father by Choice. Amanda Berry

doorknob. Just in case, she checked over her shoulder to make sure no one was in the apartment.

      “A girl can dream.”

      Maggie shoved open the door and stepped into a room similar to her own. The hardwood floors from the living room continued into the room, providing the only warmth to the otherwise white, sterile room.

      “Dying of suspense over here,” Penny said.

      “It’s bigger than my room. King-size bed.” No art. No photos. No spark of personality. Lifeless. Loveless. “Light tan bedspread with matching curtains. Black dresser. Two doors.”

      “One of them has to lead to the sex chamber.” Penny’s voice quivered.

      “Do you think that if he had a sex chamber I would tell you?” Maggie rolled her eyes as she opened the first door to a bathroom.

      “You’ll tell me or I promise to read Amber Stephen King tonight.”

      “You wouldn’t. Besides, I would be so shocked to find a sex chamber that I probably would tell you, so you could tell me what all the things were for.”

      “You know it,” Penny said smugly.

      “Door number one is a bathroom. Nice. Clean.” Lifeless.

      “I’ll take what’s behind door number two.”

      She opened the door to a walk-in closet the size of her bathroom at home. “Big closet.”

      The rich scent of sandalwood drifted over her as she entered the closet.

      “Dirty mags?” Penny whispered, as if they were on the hunt together, instead of just Maggie waiting to get caught going through Brady’s stuff.

      The closet was neatly organized with nothing out of place. Suits lined up, next to neatly pressed pants, a few pairs of shoes. “It’s as if he doesn’t live here.”

      “That’s it! Maybe he’s a vampire.” Penny snickered.

      Maggie backed out of the closet and looked around for some evidence of anyone living there. “Worse, he’s a workaholic. No one’s house is this clean unless they don’t live here.”

      “Or he stays at his girlfriend’s.” Penny’s tone didn’t help matters.

      Maggie sank down on the edge of his bed. “I hadn’t even thought about that. I didn’t even ask. Why didn’t I ask?”

      “Because you were telling the dude he has a seven-year-old? I think you had more pressing things than ‘are you dating?’”

      “What if he is?” Maggie’s heart clattered to a stop. She stood. “What if I’m getting in the way of his life here?”

      “Whoa. Cart. Horse. Slow down, Maggie. It’s only one possibility. As you said, this isn’t about you hooking up with Brady. This is about Brady getting to know his daughter.”

      This wasn’t about her. It was about Amber, and she shouldn’t be in Brady’s room at all. She rushed out and closed the door. “You were the one who wanted me to bring sexy nightgowns and bikinis.”