Page 47 of Enemy Ex's Secret Baby

“Not all the time,” Lola mutters.

I give Stella a playful nudge on the shoulder. “Hey, it’s not so bad knowing everything. Sometimes people don’t appreciate us.”

Her eyes brighten. Sparkly green. Never noticed just how green they are.

Lola clears her throat. “Anyway, you want me to…” Her eyebrows lift. “…take over?”

I glance down at Stella and then back to Lola. “I think we’re good. You take a break. You were just working your butt off.”

Stella lowers her head and laughs. “Hehe…butt.”

“Did I say something funny?” I tease.

“No…” she replies, lowering her head further down and then whispering, “Butt.”

I laugh. “I heard that!”

“Okay, well, as long as you’re sure…” Lola continues with a look that is asking me, “Are you sure you can handle it?”

“I think we’re fine. What do you think, Stella?”

Stella smiles at Lola. “I’m fine, Auntie Lola.”

Lola gives the little girl a smile. “Okay. If you need anything, I’ll be in the office sipping coffee. Just a couple minutes.”

“Take as many minutes as you want,” I say.

“As many minutes as you need,” Stella adds.

Lola giggles to herself. “You two are trouble, I can tell.”

Stella and I exchange a brief look. I can’t hold it for too long. I almost feel shy. Something about this little girl is so charming. So terribly familiar. A piece of Gillian and yet…feels like there’s a little mystery to her I’m just starting to understand.

Lola disappears into the back with a cup of coffee and a long sigh, leaving Stella and me again to our quiet coloring.

“So, do you like to do anything else besides coloring?”

“Lots of things.”

“You like to roller skate. I remember that one.”

“Mhm.”

“What else?”

She furrows her brow, concentrating. “I like to…play Legos.”

“Good choice.”

“And I like to read about aminals.”

Aminals….that’s fucking precious.

“An-i-mals,” she corrects herself and then shakes her head. “I like to pretend to play an-i-mals with my friends.”

“An-i-mals,” I repeat.

“Don’t make fun of me!”

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