Page 95 of There Are No Words

She nodded, her soft curls bouncing up and down. “No one has ever asked me before. I say, okay. You can.”

Brady nodded. “Thank you. Now, are you having fun, Isabella?”

She wiggled her nose. “Yeah, except I don’t like some of the games. I want to know if you’re having a girl. Can you tell me, please?” she asked, waiting as I angled my head and considered the question.

Then I looked at Brady. “What do you think? Can we tell her?”

Brady crossed one arm over the other and rubbed his chin. “I don’t know. Do you think she can be trusted?”

Isabella hopped up and down at my side. “You know I can, Aunt Allie. Please!” Then she mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key.

Brady and I exchanged a look, and he bent down to pick her up, bringing her real close. “I think she’s trustworthy. Tell her, Allegra.” He brought her toward me, and I cupped her ear with my hands, whispering it to her.

Once I said it, she gasped and pulled back, her eyes wide as saucers. “Thank you! I’m so happy!” She reached out and wrapped her hands around Brady’s neck, giving him a hug. “Thanks, Uncle Brady.”

“Anytime, Isabella,” he said, setting her back down. “And listen, one day, we’ll need you to babysit, so remember this moment.”

Isabella angled her head and narrowed her eyes like Maria did. “Okay,” she said, not sure she understood him. “About Tipsy,” she started, and I laughed, surprised the dog wasn’t at her side.

“Yeah, where is our girl?” Brady asked, looking around.

Isabella crossed her arms. “She doesn’t like it when I chase her. Your dog is broken,” she noted casually before spinning on her heel. “She’s in Nonno’s room,” she added before finally leaving us.

I couldn’t hold back my laughter. Isabella was a trip. Then add in the fact that Tipsy had found Dad’s room and I was in stitches. “I better go get that dog,” I said, laughing.

Brady looked at me, horrified. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”

I looped my arm through his and led us to Dad’s room.

* * *

Brady

I couldn’t stop thinking about Isabella and my interaction with her. To date, I’d had very little time with her, which wasn’t surprising. We had no reason to be together or talk, but today I’d learned something valuable from Isabella.

I was going to be a good dad, after all.

Let me explain to you how I’d come to that conclusion. . . for as much as I’d worried about it, I was realizing that I had nothing to worry about. Kids were just like adults. You just had to treat them with respect and love and you’d be fine.

Love was something I knew I’d have in spades for my daughter. Hell, I’d loved her from the moment Allegra told me about her. How could I not?

When Allegra bumped my arm with hers as we rounded the corner to her dad’s room, she stopped and smiled. “What are you thinking about?”

Shrugging, I stopped, too, and grinned. “How lucky I am.”

“That I didn’t hang your ass out to dry when you brought this puppy home for me?” she asked, joking.

With a grin, I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Nooo,” I said, dragging out the word. Then I opened my eyes and stared into hers, turning serious. “How can you fault me for that, anyway? It’s been good for us, and I really think it’ll help youknow what I know—that you’re going to be a great mom. Look at the way you treat Tipsy and how attached to you she’s become already. It’s pretty obvious. So, you’re welcome.”

Reaching over, she pressed her lips to mine. “You know, I think I’m the one who’s pretty lucky.”

I smacked her ass. “Don’t forget it, either.”

Gasping, she reached around to my ass and gave it a squeeze. “Want to go into one of these empty rooms and fool around?”

My mouth agape, I felt my eyes grow wide. “In your dad’s house? No way in hell. Let’s just get Tipsy and get the hell downstairs. Besides, I heard something about a beer drinking contest.” And I was prepared to dominate that one.

Allegra laughed. “You know it’s through a baby’s bottle. Nipple and all,” she explained.

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