Page 36 of Rainbow Kisses

“But Maddy can stay, right?”

Krista looked up at me with the biggest puppy-dog eyes I’d ever seen. The girl was good.

I looked at Rain. “Rowdy mentioned something about girls’ night…?”

“We’re gonna have cookies and hot chocolate and watch a movie.” Krista started dancing around again. “Momma said it was okay if I could stay. But I want Maddy to stay too.”

“Mads, you wanna stay?”

Shit, I knew as soon as the words were out of my mouth that they were the wrong ones. The look of guilt that flashed across my niece’s face made my stomach roll. Dammit, I didn’t want her to feel guilty for having fun.

“Brian, why don’t you let me get that ice for you? Mr. Whiskers can hang out for a while with us girls, right?”

Was that going to help or hurt the situation here? I hadn’t wanted Maddy to feel like I was pawning her off on Rain, but I wanted her to build friendships. That’s why I’d moved us here.

Even though it wouldn’t be permanent. But I had told myself I wasn’t looking that far ahead. I just needed to focus on the now.

The growing smile on Maddy’s face made up my mind. Krista started dancing again, which made me smile. Which made my jaw ache.

I raised a hand to rub at it while nodding at Rain.

“Sure, he can stay,” Krista said. “He can be a princess for a night.”

My brows rose as I watched Krista twirl in front of me. “And what do I have to do to be a princess?”

“Well, he definitely needs a tiara.” This from Maddy, who looked like she was trying not to laugh.

“And a boa!” Krista shrieked at an ear-piercing level then shot off like a cannon up the stairs. Then from the top of the stairs, she shouted, “Maddy, come help.”

When Maddy glanced in my direction, I gave her a quick nod and a wink, which made her lips curl in a true smile. And made me feel like I’d gotten this part right. But it left me alone with Rain, her expression making me wonder what I’d just agreed to.

“You’re going to look good in a tiara and pink boa..”

I walked across the room to where she was leaning against the doorjamb that led to the kitchen.

“I’m more partial to purple. Do you think we can negotiate?”

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to happen. You’ve been taken hostage for the night by a tiny benevolent dictator.” She nodded her head toward the kitchen. “Why don’t you sit. I’ll get you that ice.”

She turned and headed toward the fridge in the small kitchen at the back of the house. I followed because, well, I’d rather be with her. No-brainer. Looking over her shoulder, she didn’t seem surprised to see me there. Actually, her smile widened.

I shrugged. “I figure if I stick with you, they can’t gang up on me. I’m afraid I’m going to end up with pink fingernails tonight.”

As she grabbed a reusable bag out of a drawer and filled it with ice, she said, “Oh, I’m sure you’ll look lovely in pink.”

“How do you know what color my underwear is?”

Her eyes flashed up to mine, wide and startled, and I cursed my malformed sense of humor.

Christ, I was an idiot.

Then she laughed, one of those deep belly laughs that made me want to kiss her so I could feel her lips tremble against mine with the force of it and drink in some of her joy. Instead, I forced myself to stay where I was and return her smile.

Overhead, I heard the girls running around then I heard pounding on the stairs, and finally, they appeared in the kitchen.Krista held a mound of things with feathers and bows and sequins. And Maddy held a delicate tiara with a smile on her face that I’d never be able to refuse.

Yeah, I was gonna wear the damn tiara.

An hour later,the girls had fallen asleep in a pillow fort in front of the fireplace and the TV, leaving Rain and I sitting on the couch, exhausted.

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