Page 36 of Prickly Romance

“She’s a model.”

Happy wrinkles gather around Mama Moira’s eyes. “How lovely. Another model in the family. Well, whenever she drops in, we’d love to have her.”

“Come on. Let me introduce you to the children before another war breaks out.” Alistair’s wife gestures with dark fingers. “Competitions get loud and rowdy around here. I’d suggest you prepare yourself before they drag you into a game.”

“I’m pretty competitive myself,” Dejonae says.

Niko skips happily beside her.

I hear chair legs scrape the ground and feel Alistair sitting closer to me. When I turn, I find his eyes boring into mine.

“Is there still a problem between you and Dejonae?” he asks.

I reach for a fry jack to keep from having to answer immediately. The pastry is golden and smooth like the top of milk bread, but the inside is puffy.

“If I’d known she was coming to the house, I wouldn’t have invited you for dinner,” Alistair adds.

“To protect me or to protect her?”

He mulls it over. “That depends on who would do the most damage to the other.”

“A wise response.”

“I’m always on top of my game when I’m facing off with you, Sazuki.” He tilts his fry jack toward me.

My eyes dart to Dejonae. She is sitting among the children. Niko is beside her, so close that her thigh is on top of Dejonae’s.

Dejonae is signing out an introduction for my daughter.

“Why are you doing that with your hands?” A little girl with dark hair, pale skin and big brown eyes looks on in awe.

“Belle, don’t be rude,” an older boy with thick hair and sullen eyes scolds.

Belle frowns. “Why?”

“It’s okay,” Dejonae says. “It’s not rude to ask a question.”

“Sazuki, would you like to discuss business on the balcony?” Alistair offers.

“Just a moment.” My daughter can get overwhelmed around strangers. I want to be close enough to jump in if there are any issues.

Dejonae nudges my daughter when Niko tries to retreat from the conversation. Smiling kindly, she tells Niko, “Go ahead. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I’m deaf,” Niko gestures with a hesitant frown.

A beat of silence passes as the children struggle to understand.

The boy with the glasses speaks first.

“Cool!”

Cool?I freeze in shock.

Niko smiles and relaxes into Dejonae’s chest. I have never seen my daughter so confident and at ease in front of strangers before.

“Niko has a good relationship with Dejonae,” Alistair observes.

I keep my eyes on them, still alert. “Miss Williams knows sign language and Niko finds that reassuring.”

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