Page 71 of Pucking Secret

“Why don’t you go and change into your pajamas,” I say, wanting to give Millie something to do while we get ourselves settled and prepared for the conversation to come.

“Okay,” Millie nods before wiggling out of Owen’s arms and darting away. I release a breath, trying to slow my heart rate and not appear as nervous as I feel.

A few moments later, Lilah appears at the entrance to the hallway, her black book bag slung over her shoulder. Her purple hair is pulled back in a clip that’s shaped like a big spider, and her dark eyeshadow has violet sparkles in it. She pauses and looks between me and Owen, her lips curling into a sly smile.

“I was wondering where you’ve been all day,” she says, shooting me a wink. “Hope you were having some fun.”

My cheeks heat up. I dig some cash out of my purse and hand it to Lilah.

“Thanks for staying late,” I quickly tell her as I start to herd her out the door. “I’ll talk to you later and let you know when I need you next, okay? Bye-bye.”

Lilah giggles and waves over her shoulder as she steps out the front door.

“All right, see you later. You kids have fun now!”

I shut the door behind her with a loud groan. We really need to have a conversation about that girl’s total lack of filter.

It’s quiet for a moment, and I slowly turn back around to face Owen. He’s smiling, his eyes dancing with amusement.

“I like her,” he says.

I snort. “Yeah, Lilah is…something. She’s great with Millie, though.”

Owen’s grin dips and he suddenly looks nervous.

“Should we, uh… should we just tell her? I don’t think I can wait until after dinner.”

Licking my lips, I nod. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

“Millie?” I call, my voice steady despite my racing heart.

She comes bounding back down the stairs, her hair a wild mess and her pajamas mismatched. She skids to a stop in front of us, her wide eyes flicking between Owen and me.

“Can Owen and I play now?”

I kneel, pulling her little hands into mine.

“We want to talk to you about something important first” I say, glancing at Owen. I can tell he’s trying hard to look cool and calm right now. “Let’s go in the family room.”

Standing, I keep hold of Millie’s hand as we make our way further into the house. When we reach the family room, Owen sits down on the couch first and pats the cushion next to him.

“Come on up here, bug,” he says.

Millie hesitates, her gaze sharp and curious. She knows something is up. Sometimes she’s too smart for her own good. At length, she lets go of my hand and clambers up next to him. Seeing the two side-by-side hits me hard. They look so similar, I don’t know how I ever thought I’d be able to keep Owen from finding out about her. The full significance of this moment suddenly sets in and I realize that from this point onward, everything will be different. Our lives will be changed, entwined together forever. Their identical blue eyes stare up at me expectantly, and I sit on the other side of Millie, my chest tight. The silence stretches between us for several moments as I struggle to come up with the right words.

Owen clears his throat, but I can see that he’s having a hard time saying it also, so I take a deep breath and calmly gaze down at Millie. “Sweetheart, there’s something I’ve been waiting to tell you. Do you remember how I always said your daddy had to be far away and that’s why we never saw him?”

She arches a brow and nods. “Uh-huh.”

I glance up at Owen, and he gives me an encouraging look.

“Well, I’ve got some really good news for you,” I manage to continue. “You get to see him now because he’s moved to Denver.”

Her eyes go wide and she gasps, “Really? When do I get to see him?”

My hands are shaking so I clutch them tight in my lap. “That’s the thing, baby. You’ve been hanging out with him already. Millie… Owen is your daddy.”

Her mouth falls open, and her bright eyes dart between us. Her expression twists in confusion, and then she tilts her head with a frown.

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