Page 29 of Pledge Of A Bobcat

I couldn’t help but smile back. “I’m glad you think so.”

Rachel helped her tie on an apron, her hands gentle as she adjusted the knot at the back. The way she interacted with her daughter, the softness in her eyes and her gentle touches, struck me. There was a warmth there that spoke volumes about the type of woman she was—the type of mother.

“All right, let’s get painting!” Tara said from the front of the room, grabbing a brush and dipping it into a bright yellow.

The class was even more entertaining than I’d hoped it would be. Serenity attacked her canvas with enthusiasm, splattering bright colors across it without any rhyme or reason. Rachel and I watched as she created her masterpiece.

At one point, Serenity handed me a brush, demanding that I help paint a rainbow, and when I turned to ask Rachel what color I should use next, I noticed she’d been staring at me. There was something in her eyes, a kind of quiet happiness that I hadn’t seen before, and it made my bobcat purr.

For a while, everything else faded away. There was no Xander, no looming danger, no uncertainty. It was us, a canvas, and a room full of laughter and color. It was a simple, perfect moment, and I realized I’d do just about anything to have more days like this.

As we left The Gallery, Serenity clutched her painting proudly in her hands.

“Can we get ice cream?” she asked, giving me a wide-eyed look that was hard to resist as we walked along the sidewalk.

I grinned, already nodding before Rachel had a chance to say anything. “Absolutely. Ice cream it is.”

Rachel laughed, shaking her head as she walked beside me. “You’re spoiling her, you know that?” she teased, but there wasn’t a hint of real reprimand in her tone.

I shrugged, giving her a playful smile. “What can I say? She’s easy to spoil.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile grew. “Well, I can’t argue with that.”

We headed to Celestial Scoops. The sugary-sweet aroma greeted us as we stepped inside.

Behind the counter, a young woman with wavy golden-blond hair and sea-green eyes greeted us with a warm smile.

“Hey there! Welcome to Celestial Scoops,” she said, her voice as bright as the shop itself. “I’m Lily. What can I get for you today?”

Serenity pressed her nose against the glass, scanning each bin of ice cream with the kind of serious concentration only a child could manage. “I want… um… can I try that one?” she asked, pointing to the strawberry cheesecake as though she hadn’t had some already the other night.

“Of course!” Lily scooped a tiny bit onto a pink plastic spoon and handed it over. “Here you go, sweetie. Tell me what you think.”

Serenity tasted it, her face lighting up. “Mmm, I love it!” she said, bouncing on her toes. “Can I have it in a big cone?”

Lily grinned and nodded. “Coming right up,” she said, then turned her attention to Rachel and me. “And for you two?”

I glanced at Rachel, letting her go first. She hesitated, then said, “I’ll take a scoop of the peanut butter cookie crumble, please. In a cup.”

“Good choice,” Lily said, then looked at me. “And for you?”

I didn’t even need to think about it. “Mint chocolate chip, in a cone,” I said with a grin. “I’m a creature of habit.”

Lily chuckled as she began scooping our orders. “Nothing wrong with that. It’s one of my favorites too.”

We watched as she assembled our treats. Once we all had our ice cream and I’d paid, we found a small table by the window.

“You know,” Rachel said, glancing at me. “I can’t remember the last time we had a day like this—a fun outing in town.”

I took a lick of my ice cream, letting the cool, minty flavor melt on my tongue. “Well,” I said, leaning in. “We’ll have to make more days like this. Consider it a promise.”

“I’d like that,” she said softly, and it felt like my whole world shifted a little bit closer to hers.

“Mommy, can we come back here again?” Serenity chimed in, her mouth smeared with strawberry cheesecake ice cream. “I love this place!”

“I think we can make that happen,” Rachel said, reaching out to wipe her mouth.

“Definitely.” I winked.

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