Page 16 of Three of a Kind

I’m like a confused puppy as I try to decipher the rest of her sentence. I finally go with, “Grab your book. I’ll read it to you. Do you sleep in diapers?”

“I’m a big girl,” she says, planting her hands on her hips. “I wear Pull-Ups.”

Aren’t those the same thing?

They catch the pee…seems like the same thing to me, but I’m not about to have it out with a toddler over the differences between diapers and Pull-Ups.

I glance down at the sleeping Brooklyn. “Can you get yourself into that on your own?”

“What?”

“Can you put a Pull-Up on without help?”

“I can do it!” she shrieks a little too loudly.

With that, she turns around and bolts back to her bedroom.

It only takes another minute before she runs out with a blanket, a book, and a diaper—Pull-Up—whatever. She drops the blanket next to me with the small book and falls over as she tries to pull her underwear down.

I frown and toss out a hand.

She grabs it, holding herself up.

I look away while she does a lot of wiggling.

“I’m done,” she declares, climbing up on my other side. She doesn’t hesitate to snuggle up, with her face on my stomach, as she drops the book on my thigh.

Her small hand struggles to tug the blanket from under her butt, so I help.

Once she’s cuddled up and comfy, she glances at me. “I’m ready.”

I chuckle.

Damn, she’s cute. She reminds me so much of Brooklyn that it’s hard not to be fond of the kid.

Maybe I’m more prepared for a family of my own than I originally thought.

Too bad all of this is just a job.

Chapter Six

Brooklyn

Iroll over, slapping around for my phone. It’s a whole process to wake up enough to manage to shut off my alarm.

Libby sleeps stretched out wide across the other side of my bed.

“Oh, crap.” I tug the blanket back and pat around, but the bed is dry. She’s also in the same dress she had on last night. Yanking up the bottom, I see someone put her in a Pull-Up.

Thank God for that.

Noble must have put us both to bed.

I try really hard to encourage Libby to sleep in her room. If she gets used to sleeping with me, I’m afraid the baby will keep her up all night once he or she is born.

It’s time to get us both up and ready to start the day, but first, I need to check on Lennox…

Right after I visit the restroom.

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