Page 15 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
Reagan held out her little hand. Robbie awkwardly took it. Should he pick her up? He’d done that earlier, but only because she’d been completely out. Heading up the stairs together, he noticed they hadn’t taken her sandals off either.
When they reached the room she was sharing with her sister, he noted that Cassidy was still sleeping soundly in the pack and play that came with the house. Reagan sat on her twin bed, and he knelt on the floor to unbuckle her shoes.
God, her feet were tiny and decorated in sparkly nail polish. He hadn’t registered that before, but it made sense, what with Tara being a nail person. God knew she’d tried to do the O’Connor brothers’ nails from time to time, swearing a manicure would change their life. They’d always bandied back that they’d have to give up their man cards if they accepted.
He suddenly wanted to hang his head.Jesus, Tara, please be safe.
“I miss my mom,” Reagan whispered. “I woke up and I didn’t know where I was. Then I heard you guys talking.”
“And you knew we were with you and not her.” He set her sandals down beside the bed. “I know it’s hard to miss your mom. My mom—ah…”
She was suddenly listening intently and he swallowed thickly. She probably already knew his mom had died, but he didn’t want to remind her of it right now.
“My mom went away on a trip when I was a lot older than you—and it was really hard for me too. But Kathleen, my sister, whom you’ve met—”
“Yeah, she lives in Ireland now. Mom has shown me some photos. We went to her wedding when she came back to Boston.”
Right. He rubbed the back of his neck again to wake himself up. “Anyway, she was five, and she missed my mother so much. That’s normal when you love someone. But this is only going to be for a little while, and me and my brothers are going to make sure you and Cassidy have a lot of fun. Is there anything you’d like to do on vacation?”
She held up her doll, eerily perfect in the dim light through the cracked door of the bathroom. Tim had left that on, because there were no night-lights. “I want to build a sandcastle for my new Barbie.”
A sandcastle. Huh. Had he ever done that as a kid? “We’ll do it tomorrow. The best one possible. Now, do you want to get your pajamas?”
She nodded and headed over to her suitcase. Cassidy rolled over when the zipper sounded, and he froze like someone had just dropped a water bottle on a stakeout. God, is this what all parents went through? He breathed a sigh of relief when the little girl didn’t stir again.
Dragging a long pink nightgown across the floor, Reagan returned and held it out. Pointing to the cartoon woman on the dress, she said, “My favorite Disney princess is Belle.”
What was the appropriate response tothat? “She looks…sturdy.”
Reagan saved him from more awkward conversation by taking off her dress. Her complete trust pulverized him, and he remembered Kathleen being like this, all sweet, innocent, and little. She used to run around the house in her underwear, laughing as they tried to catch her and wrap her up in a nearby blanket or crocheted throw pulled off the couch. Good memories, he realized.
Reagan held up her arms, and then he realized he was supposed to put the nightgown on over her. He did so gently, and then she was throwing her arms around his neck. All of her fear and agony was in that hug, and he felt his throat getting thick with emotion in response. He remembered Kathleen had liked having her hair smoothed when she was missing their mom, so he lifted his hand and began an easy rhythm. When Reagan finally moved a little, he loosed her and they stood there looking at each other.
“Mom said you would take care of me and Cassidy like a fairy-tale prince.” Then she smiled. “But you’re not the Beast. I’ll have to think about who you are. I’m going to brush my hair later so I won’t wake Cassidy. But it’s going to be awful.”
Awful didn’t sound good, so he was glad for the reprieve. He kissed the top of her head and helped her back into bed. She grabbed her Barbie and arranged the ever-smiling plastic doll against her chest.
“Thanks for my Barbie. I still don’t know what her name is.”
He tucked the flower covered sheet up over her. “You’ll figure it out. Good night, Reagan.”
“Good night, Robbie.”
He gave a tired smile before turning to leave. But then he noticed that Tim had practically swaddled Cassidy in the blanket he’d thrown over her. He’d have to go through Tara’s list of instructions with his brothers point by point, because this would not do.
He lifted the blanket until her tiny feet were peeking out, and for a moment, she smiled in her sleep, drool sliding down her sweet, round face. Something shifted in his chest. He walked out of the room feeling better equipped than he had all day.
With Tara’s instructions, they’d have this parenting thing down tomorrow, Friday at the latest.
CHAPTERFOUR
A piercing screamrent the air.
Lily winced, tying her blue and white-flowered sarong in place, as she headed to the patio door to look out at their new neighbors. The tourist season was waning, so they’d been able to rent out the place next to the O’Connors’.
Sure enough, Cassidy’s arms were flailing in the air on the beach as she ran toward the ocean. Robbie had already pushed off the ground to give chase, barely missing the massive sandcastle he and his brothers were building with Reagan. Someone clearly had a flair for architecture, with the whimsical round towers and detailed turrets running between.
“It doesn’t sound like all is going well in fake Daddydom.” Sheila whistled. “This is the third time that munchkin’s gone for the waves. Lieutenant O’Connor doesn’t look too thrilled. I think you’d be the perfect treat to soothe his tangled nerves, Summer.”
