Page 69 of Fiery Romance

“What are you drawing?” I ask, crouching next to her.

“A picture.”

“What kind of picture?” I smile.

“On how to catch a man,” she says innocently.

My smile drops away.

“Miss Tasha said it’s easy.” Regan’s tone is that matter-of-fact hum that kids always have. “She said you have to wear a red dress and show off your body—”

“Okay.” I slide the paper from under her. “I think I’ll need to have a talk with Miss Tasha about what she’s saying around you.”

“But I asked her.”

“You did?” I run my hand over her braids. “Why, baby?”

“So I could help you.”

Shock washes over me. “Help me?”

“Yeah, help you marry my dad.”

I blink and blink and blink, but my brain seems to have stopped working.

Regan beams up at me. “I think you should be my new mommy.”

If I blink anymore, I might blow off all my eyelashes.

“Sweetie,” I pull Regan out of her mini-chair and into my lap, “I’m really flattered, but adult relationships are a little more complicated than that.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Yes, it is.” I insist. “Even if I try your plan, your daddy might not like me.”

“Why?”

“Because he might not want anyone but your mommy.”

I think about Clay’s broken voice when he mentioned his late wife. In his eyes, I saw a love that would never putter out. Even if he tried again, it wouldn’t be a whole and untainted kind of love. The ghost of his wife would always be present.

“Jessica has another mommy. I want one too,” Regan croaks.

My heart melts and I squeeze her to me. Pressing a kiss to her precious cheek, I say, “I will always be your friend. How about that?”

She scrunches her nose.

“Oh, you don’t like that? Am I not good enough to be your friend?” I tickle her little stomach until she’s roaring with laughter.

Just then, my phone rings.

“Hey,” Clay says in a rushed voice, “this strategy meeting will take a bit longer. I don’t think I can drive down to pick up Regan right now.”

“It’s okay.”

There’s a lot of chatter in the background. Whatever’s going on sounds urgent.

“How about this? I’ll ask my brother to pick her up,” Clay says.

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