Page 68 of Sinful Promise
“We already went once!” she beams. “We were going back again, ‘cos it’s so much fun.”
“Oh.” He presses his lips together and nods. “Makes complete sense.”
Setting her on her feet, he taps her butt to get her running, then he turns to Penny to discuss… Fletch and Penny things. And because Moo chooses me today, instead of Minka, I open my arms and catch her when she dives.
“Hi, Uncle Arch!” She’s a ball of energy, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing. “I wasfinkingabout starting dance classes again soon.” Pulling back, she makes me cradle her weight or risk dropping her to the floor. “Daddy said I could if I wanted to.”
“Well, that sounds like bunches of fun, Moo-Moo. Do you know where classes are? Or when? Because maybe Uncle Arch can come watch sometimes.”
“Mommy used to do classes,” she says easily. “So maybe I can go there.” Then her eyes light up. “Maybe Mommy can take me! That would work out, huh?”
“It sure would.” And yet, I glance over her shoulder and meet Minka’s eyes.
It’s funny that we could both be thinking the same thing right now. That we might both be cringing at the thought of relying on Jada for anything. But we don’t say it out loud. Because it would break Mia’s heart to think someone in her life isn’t completely and utterly devoted to her the way they should be.
“I want front row tickets toeveryshow you ever put on, okay?” Bringing my hand up, Iboopthe end of her nose, and grin. “Front row every single time. You have to promise.”
“I promise! You just have to buy the tickets.” She giggles. “Get the tickets for the front row. Or get the tickets for any row, but show your badge to the people in the front row.”
I choke out a laugh and fold the girl into my lap so she can sit comfortably and I can still hug her. “You want me to intimidate people and make them give me their seats? Mia Moo-Moo Fletcher! That’s illegal.”
“You just tell them I’m the star,” she says so innocently. “And I said so.”
“Well, of course,” Minka smirks. “That’s a good enough reason if I ever heard one.” Leaning back and tugging her top drawer open, she searches for a beat before finding whatever she’s looking for. Then taking out a plastic packet of suckers, she reveals a pink, heart-shaped lollipop and holds it just out of reach for the girl. “You want this?”
Gasping, Mia bounces on my knee. “Yes please! Oh, please, Minka! I want it.”
Smug, she leans across her desk and tears the wrapper off. “Here you go, beautiful. Blame it on Uncle Arch if you get a sugar rush and go hyper.”
I purse my lips in disapproval. “Uncle Arch already gets in enough trouble for the things he does on his own. He doesn’t need to take extra on top.”
“I’ll protect you.” Mia tosses the sucker between her lips. “Daddy isn’t scary, anyway.”
My phone trills in my pocket, buzzing against my leg and eliciting another round of laughter from sweet Mia. Pushing her to one side, then digging my hand into the pocket on the other, I take out the device and answer while Fletch pays half attention to me, and half to his nanny.
I bring the phone to my ear and hold Minka’s stare. “Detective Archer Malone.”
“Hey there, Detective. It’s Randy. From the—”
“Tech division,” I fill in impatiently. “Yeah. What’s up?”
“I come with a double whammy.” His voice is too playful, too happy, so in my mind, I see him bouncing in his seat. “I have new information on Fentone’s case, and I got into Jason Patterson’s computer, too. You were right on the second; he was getting lucky outside his marital home.”
“Shit.” I look down at Mia’s innocent expression. Her lips turning pinker already, from the sucker she slurps on. Then I look to Fletch. “Wait a sec, Randy.” Lowering my phone, I lift a brow. “You probably wanna listen to this.”
Intuitive, he looks to Mia, then nods to Penny. “Alright.” He crosses the office and sweeps his daughter out of my lap, then he walks back to the door and sets Mia on her feet. “Daddy has to work now, Moo, which means you can go to the park. But be careful, okay? Stay with Miss Penny.”
“I’ll be careful.” She fists her sucker, and reaches up with the other hand to take Penny’s. “I’ll see you later, Daddy. In a little while.”
“Yep.” Dropping into a crouch, he presses a kiss to her already sticky cheek, only to chuckle when he pulls back and wipes his lips. “You taste like candy.”
“Like a Power Puff Girl,” she declares proudly.
As she and Penny turn on their heels and head toward the elevator, everyone else back in Minka’s office watches through the glass. As they slap the call button and the doors open. Then as they step inside, and Mia turns back to wave.
She has a rapt audience everywhere she goes, so when she’s the star dancing upon a stage, I’m not sure she’ll ever feel those nerves others do. She’s so used to being fawned over and stared at, she could be a prima ballerina, and not experience an ounce of anxiousness most others feel.
“Okay.” Stalking back across the office, Fletch sits on the edge of Minka’s desk, folds his arms, and nods for me. “What’s up?”
