Page 190 of Music City Diaries

“What are you up to, Hannah Lou?”

“Kisses,” she said, grabbing my cheeks and giving me a big smack.

“Thank you, babygirl.”

“Laws, can you check her diaper before we go?” Darcie asked, shoving a million things into a diaper bag. At the mention of time, I slumped my shoulders. I’d missed my window.

“Yeah, Sunflower.” Hannah talked nonsensically to me as I walked to her room. I answered when appropriate, encouraging her storytelling as I changed her. “You’re so smart, Hannah Lou. You’ll be a famous writer one day, telling the world of your stories.”

She clapped excitedly, lifting some of my somber mood. It was hard to be sad when you were around our kids. They wereall so happy and full of sunshine, just like their mother. I pulled her strawberry blonde curls into little pigtails on her head and double-checked her outfit. Darcie had dressed her in overalls but had ironed on a Royals patch.

“Ma’ch,” she said, not quite pronouncing the word. She pointed to the patch on my jacket.

“Yes, we match.” I smiled.

“Yay.” She clapped and lifted her arms for me to pick her up. I turned, stopping when I spotted Darcie in the door.

“I’m sorry you didn’t get your alone time.” She smirked, her eyes trailing over me.

“Was I that obvious?”

“Not until you shoved Grace at Hank and told her to tell him about the chickens. That girl can talk for hours about those things, so I figured you were up to something.”

“Hey! I’m offended. I support our girl’s enthusiasm for our feathered friends.” I smoothed my hand over Hannah’s back, content with her in our arms. She played with the hair at the back of my neck.

“Uh-huh. I’m sure that’s all it was.” Darcie smiled as she followed us outside. I dropped a kiss on her lips when a new idea emerged. Grinning, I raced ahead and buckled Hannah into her car seat. Lennox, Simon, and Thane were staying with the kids while Slade rode with us in the parade and then the five-mile drive.

“Be good, Hannah. Daddy loves you.”

“L’ves, y’u,” she said.

Darcie watched me, her gaze calculated as I climbed onto my bike and waited for her order. When I didn’t do anything, she let it go and climbed onto hers. We followed her into town and waved bye to the van when we detoured for the start of the parade. Another twenty bikes were parked and waiting in theparking lot when we arrived. There was still about forty minutes before the parade would start.

I waved at the Mavericks who’d driven up—Tiny, Mack, Saucy, and Kiki among them. After everyone was greeted and hugs were exchanged, I enacted my plan. I’d had the right strategy, just the wrong location.

“Darcie, did you get the donation check?”

She turned, her eyes cautious. “I thought you were bringing it.”

“No, you said you wanted to keep it at the LLAQ?”

“Did I?” She paused, then shook her head. “You don’t have it?”

“Sorry. I can get it. Where is it again?”

“Um. Maybe I should go with you.”

“If you insist.” I smiled, and she narrowed her eyes.

We walked from the crowd to the storefrontLive Like A Queenused. She unlocked the door, and I turned off the alarm. In the dark, we walked to her office in the back. She flipped on the light, and it came into view. It was a simple space with a desk, couch, filing cabinets, and playpen in the corner.

“You look in the filing cabinet; I’ll check the desk,” she said, heading straight for it.

I caged her against it. “Ah, look at that. It’s right here.”

She spun, shaking her head at me. “I should’ve known.”

“It worked to get you alone.” I smirked. She laughed and rolled her eyes, but I kissed her before she could protest.

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