Page 41 of Secret Twins for My Ex's SEAL Best Friend

“You can pick something else!” she protested, throwing her arms out dramatically to encompass the entire pastry section of the grocery store.

I laughed, “Oh, can I? Is it on you?”

Corinne shook her head with a sly smile, clearly pleased with herself, and I said, “Fine, grab some of that peanut butter fudge and… some of that caramel popcorn snack mix.” I pointed toward the shelf, my finger lingering on the caramel-coated mix with Chex, pretzels, and little caramel bites.

“On it!” she said with enthusiasm, skipping over to grab the items, her fluff of hair bouncing around her shoulders.

Sometimes, when I looked at her hair, I thought about how her mom would have had it tamed by now. Her mother hadthe same gorgeous curls and a whole fifteen-minute routine in the mornings. I braided Corinne’s hair at night because I remembered that part, but when I’d tried to help her with oiling it one time, I’d overdone it, and Corinne hadn’t let me help since.

“All right, are we good to go?” I asked, as she dropped the popcorn mix into the cart with a triumphant grin.

“We need something to put them in, Daddy,” her voice took on that matter-of-fact tone she’d been using more and more lately. “We can’t bring it all like this in the packages.”

“So, what? Do we need Tupperware?” I smirked at her serious expression.

“No, Daddy! We need something pretty to put them in,” she replied with exasperation, her arms crossing as she stared me down.

I chuckled and reached out to tap her nose.

“Okay, then let’s go get some pretty cookware. I don’t have anything at the house, certainly not enough for all of this.”

Corrine grinned up at me, relaxing her stance and dropping her arms. As I rolled the cart toward the checkout, she snuck up beside me and slipped her tiny hand in mine.

“Do you think they’ll really believe we made all these?” she asked with a mischievous grin, cupping her hand around mine like she was sharing a secret.

“If we really sell it,” I chuckled, bumping her little shoulder with mine.

Her laughter bubbled up, and I marveled at how light it made me feel. I remembered when I couldn’t have done that if I tried—when her shoulder barely reached my hip.

Growing up, my parents had always been so nostalgic about every little milestone. Back then, it had seemed ridiculous to me, but now? Every little change in Corinne felt like something I should be able to stop.

When we got to the checkout, the lady behind the register smiled warmly. “Well, you two must have a big family.”

I winced. I always tried shielding Corinne from comments like these, especially around the holidays, but there was no avoiding them.

Corinne, ever the brave one, took it in stride. “Nope, we’re taking these to the shelter,” she said with a proud smile.

“Oh, how nice. A beautiful girl inside and out,” the cashier cooed, smiling at me.

I was used to these comments—Corinne got them all the time—but this one caught me off guard.

“You and Mom did a good job raising her,” the cashier added, with a warm smile.

I forced a fake smile and bit the inside of my cheek, unsure how to respond. After eleven years, you’d think I’d have a better answer to the “mom” comments, but I never did.

I glanced down at Corinne. She had taken the first comment well, but now she was clamming up, tucking her hair behind her ear and staring at the ground.

“Hey, lady,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “How about you just let us buy our sweets in peace? How’s that sound?”

The cashier blinked, startled. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was just making conversation.”

“Well, what happened to the classics?” My voice lightened but was still tinged with frustration. “‘Oh, it’s getting cold,’ or, ‘You rooting for anybody in the NFL this year?’”

“I’m sorry,” she said again, her tone more subdued.

“Daddy, it’s okay,” Corinne said softly, tugging on my shirt.

I looked down at her wide, serious brown eyes and felt the anger in my chest dissolve. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly. “Sorry, Rin-Rin,” I muttered.

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