Page 39 of Hot Momosa

Gunnar mumbled something and rolled to his belly.

I returned to the kitchen to find Dahlia standing at the window staring out over the French Quarter rooftops.

She glanced over her shoulder and gave me a tired smile. “Thank you.”

“He was asleep before I closed the door.” I wanted to hold my arms out to her the way our son had done to me, but I doubted it would have the same effect. “Want to talk about it?”

“Harry didn’t like what I had to say.” She wrapped her arms around herself and turned away. “Even though he’d heard it all before.”

Standing behind her, I rested my hands on her shoulders. “Why don’t you relax while Gunnar’s sleeping? We’re going to have a busy afternoon.”

“I could use a nap.” She pulled away and took a few steps toward the hall.

That she didn’t ask about what I had up my sleeve worried me. The Dahlia I knew would have begged and pleaded for hints until she’d gotten every detail and utterly ruined the surprise.

Dahlia spoke with her back to me. “Leo?”

“Yeah?”

“What do you have planned?” She turned and gave me a crooked grin that told me everything would be all right—eventually.

---