Page 14 of Daddy's Little Matchmaker

Susan nodded, so the two girls went off, leaving Tessica with Marcus and his Daddy.

“Let’s see what books we’ve got about cars. How old are you, Marcus?” Tessica asked.

Marcus held up three fingers.

“I think I have just the book for you.” She riffled through the books on the shelf and found what she was looking for. “Have you seen this one before?”

Marcus shook his head, and the corners of his mouth turned up around his thumb.

“Do you want to snuggle up with your Daddy while I read?”

Marcus glanced back at his Daddy before he shook his head and pointed to her.

Tessica turned to his Daddy for clarification.

“Marcus wants to snuggle with you while you read. Maybe sit in your lap, if you don’t mind. But if you’re not up for that, he can sit in my lap.”

A swell of happiness grew in Tessica’s chest, and she opened her arms to Marcus. “Of course you can sit on my lap while I read, sweetheart.”

Marcus tentatively went over and sat sideways on her lap. She wrapped her arms around him, and settled him even closer against her chest. Marcus was about five-foot-ten, the same height as Tessica, but he curled against her, which made him seem smaller.

“What a nice boy,” Tessica cooed, and then opened the book. She kept one arm around his back while she read. By the time she was on page three, he had his head against her shoulder. It reminded her so much of her boys when they were little, it almost made her choke up.

Once the story was over, she kissed the top of his head. “Do you want to read another one? Or do you want to go do something else for a while?”

Marcus pointed to the book she held.

“This one again?”

He nodded.

“Okay.”

A minute later, Gwen and Susan came back.

“How come he gets to sit in your lap?” Gwen asked, crossing her arms. “And how come you’re still reading about stupid cars?”

“Gwen,” Tessica warned, “If you can’t ask questions nicely, then you can have a timeout. Do you want to try that again?”

Gwen huffed and rolled her eyes. “Can I sit in your lap for the next book, and can it be a book about animals?”

“Good girl. Yes, of course you can sit in my lap for the next one, and it can be about animals. I’m proud of you for asking nicely.”

Gwen turned to Susan for a second before focusing back on Tessica. “And then Susan gets to sit on your lap next. Okay?”

“It’s a deal,” Tessica agreed, pleased that everyone wanted to sit in her lap for a story.

CHAPTER FIVE

The following week when Connor walked into Fur-ever Friends, Tessica was at the front counter filling out paperwork with a younger couple. He could tell she’d made quite a few changes already. The lobby area used to be about ten feet wide by five feet deep, with a front counter separating the lobby from the main portion of the room. Now the lobby was ten by ten, and there was a big shelving unit on the left wall full of items for sale.

“Connor!” She smiled. “I wasn’t expecting you for another hour.”

“I got an earlier flight.”

“Great.” Tessica gestured to the couple in front of her. “I’m just getting paperwork in order for these nice people.”

“Fantastic,” Connor said. “Don’t let me get in the way.” He pointed to the back. “Mind if I hang out by the kennels?”

---