Page 20 of Snowed In With The Second Chance Daddy

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IRIS

Rose leansover the mixing bowl of sugar cookie dough and sticks her hand straight inside.

I laugh. “Girl, what are you doing?”

My goddaughter looks up at me with an open-mouthed smile, proud of herself. She pulls her hand out of the bowl, dough squashing through her fingers.

I grimace.

I love her, but even I don’t want her germs in my cookies. Not to mention risk of salmonella with the eggs. “Okay, decontamination process begins.”

Thankfully, I’ll be able to distract her enough that the decontamination process seems like a fun game to her. I swipe her off the counter and swing her around in circles on the way to the sink, making a blast off noise as we go.

Her laughter fills the room as I swish her over to the sink. “Beep, beginning sanitation process,” I say in a robotic voice, placing her little hand under the soap dispenser.

“Hand in the dough again?” Red says as she enters the room.

I scrub Rose’s hand under the water, getting the oil off her hands and dough out from between her fingers. “She’s not a great assistant, but she is awfully cute.”

I give Rose a kiss on the nose.

Red sighs moving over to the bowl of dough. “Oh well, we’ll just make this batch for me and Oliver, I guess.”

The second batch just for them.

“Haven’t you considered just ordering cookies from Dara for the office?”

“She’s already doing baked goods for the Christmas party, which by the way, you’re coming to.”

“You’re daaaaaarnright.” I catch myself before saying “damn.” The not swearing thing is tricky around the kids.

Red chuckles and grabs the dough, putting it onto the counter and grabbing a rolling pin. “Besides, I missed the order window.”

I snicker. “At least you’re honest.”

She glares at me playfully. “There’s a lot to balance when you have a rugrat and a full-time job.”

“Trust me, I’m not arguing with you on that one.” I bring Rose back over to the counter, keeping her captive on my hip. “So, are there any cute guys on your team?”

Rowan starts working the dough under the rolling pin viciously, forearm muscles bulging. “You really want to find a new guy at the Christmas party?”

“Not a forever guy, just a for-now guy.” I shrug. “Besides, I haven’t been with anyone since Trevor. I think it’s time I just get it over with, you know?”

Rowan glances at me for a moment. “You think you’re ready for that?”

“Of course, I am! It’s been half a year.”

“Yeah, but you were engaged.”

“And?”

She chuckles, shaking her head. “Old Violet is back in business, huh?”

I swallow.

Ididuse to be a bit of a flirt. I’d jump from guy to guy, not getting too serious with anyone. It was fun. And in a weird way it was safe.

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