Page 75 of Wired Strong

Momi nodded, and he supported her small, chubby hands as she gripped the handle. “Hold it like this and let the string go out. When it’s time for the butterfly to come back, we’ll roll it up.” He demonstrated.

Sophie sat down on the blanket, smiling at the sight of her daughter’s rapt face. Soon, Armita returned. The nanny’s narrow features were apprehensive, but Sophie smiled to reassure her. “I told you my friend Pierre Raveaux was joining our picnic.”

“Yes, you did.” Armita fastened the dogs’ leashes to a portable pivot spike that she had driven into the ground. The nanny was of a petite and wiry build, with thick black hair she kept skimmed back in a tight braid, currently hidden under a large sun hat.

Anubis sat on his haunches, panting, and Ginger flopped herself onto the grass. Both of the dogs had their eyes fixed on Raveaux and Momi as they launched the kite again.

Armita filled the dogs’ water bowl, and then joined Sophie on the blanket. They watched Momi running, running, running, holding the ball of twine as Raveaux jogged behind her, holding the kite—and suddenly, the wind caught it and it pulled up into the sky.

“Do you think he’s safe?” Armita didn’t look at Sophie.

“Yes. I’ve asked him to be my children’s godfather,” Sophie said. “They will need male influences, and Connor is no longer available. I don’t know when I’ll be seeing him again.”

Armita inclined her head in silent assent, but her reservations were clear.

Sophie had decided some time ago that the best thing to do was not to talk about her relationships with Armita, and that seemed to be working. Armita had told Sophie that she had no use for relationships; she considered men to be babies that needed to be looked after, and she didn’t understand why Sophie would want another one.

Momi ran back towards them, holding the ball of string aloft, the kite soaring overhead. Her face was alight with joy. “It flew up! Perro made it flew up!”

“Perro?” Sophie asked.

Raveaux joined them. “I guess my name is ‘dog.’” His eyes twinkled in that almost-smile. “I hope that means she likes me.”

Sophie introduced him to Armita, and soon the four of them were eating the tasty picnic lunch Armita had packed. Later, Armita took Momi down to the water, and Sophie and Raveaux packed the food back into the bag.

Sophie raised her eyes to Raveaux’s. “Are you sure you want to do this? It’s not too late to back out. But, if we move ahead, you can’t . . . abandon them. My babies.”

Raveaux definitely smiled this time, that rare gem of an expression that transformed his face. “You don’t know what you’ve given me, inviting me to be your children’s godfather. I see so much of my daughter in Momi’s bright spirit. Knowing that I can be her honorary uncle does something to me. I have no words for it, but it’s in here.” He thumped his chest, his eyes bright. “Besides. How could I miss being called Perro?”

Sophie laughed. “Good. This baby,” Sophie patted her stomach, “baby Sean, as I’ve been calling him—will not have a father at all, and I want to make sure he has male role models. But I don’t want my children to become attached to someone I’m dating. It’s too volatile.”

Raveaux, zipping shut the refrigerator bag, stilled. “Does that mean that you would never date me?”

Sophie kept her gaze on Armita and Momi, down near the water. “I didn’t say that. I just said that your role has to be something separate. A commitment. That way, you can always be there for my children, no matter what our relationship is like.”

“Well, no need to worry, because I don’t date,” Raveaux said. “And I appreciate your making my role clear. I want only the best for all of you.”

“We would never have come this far if that wasn’t something I already knew,” Sophie said. “Want to go cool off?”

Raveaux stood up, and reached down to tug Sophie to her feet. “I thought you’d never ask.”

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