Page 134 of Irresistible Attraction

"Please, Alisha, give Carmen a few minutes of your time," Jeremy pleads with me.

My eyes glance at Amanda, and she shrugs, letting me know it's my choice.

What am I going to do?

38

COLE

"Another contract in the bag."Nick drops the files on his desk and gives me a confident smirk. I nod and lean back into my office chair, ready to respond, when there’s a small knock, followed by a distinct voice.

"Daddy, are you done with work?"

Nick's face beams with affection as he makes his way over and opens the door. I glance over my shoulder to see Charlotte standing there, a box clamped between her hands. She sends her dad an uncannily warm smile before bursting into the office, yelling in a chirpy voice, "Uncle Cole, I made something for you."

Surprised, I sit up straight. Her face glows with excitement as she stops next to my chair—bouncing her weight back and forward while extending her arms—and offering the box she’s holding.

"For me?"

"Yes, I made them with Mommy. They are for Samantha, Alisha, and you."

"Oh, can I open it?"

"Yes," she chirps.

I raise the round metal box’s lid, and when I see the contents, my lips curl into an immense grin. Nick places his hands on Charlotte’s shoulders while peeking into the box.

"These are for Samantha," Charlotte channels, pointing to the cookies in the form of a piano. "And these are for Alisha because she calls you a bulldozer."

A burst of Nick’s and my laughter rumbles through the air as we gaze at the treats in a bulldozer form.

"And these are for you." She giggles while pointing to the sweets shaped in heels and covered in red sprinkles. "Mommy said you love it when Alisha wears red heels."

Another set of bouldering laughs bounces between the walls, making Charlotte’s eyes shimmer.

God, this girl is golden.

"I love them. Thank you, Charlotte. Can I taste one?"

She shrugs. "Sure."

I grab one shoe cookie and take a bite. The crispy texture, with the fresh taste of cinnamon and vanilla, sprinkles through my mouth. "Hmm, these are amazing."

Charlotte’s face glows. "I heard Mommy and Daddy say that you were sad. Now, when you’re unhappy, you can eat one of these. They will make you smile."

The thoughtfulness of her action is unbelievable. I place the box on Nick’s desk and open my arms. Charlotte doesn’t waste a second. She wraps her arms around my neck and gives me a big hug.

"You’re sweet, Uncle Cole. When are you and Alisha going to have a baby?"

Completely thrown off balance by her unexpected and explicit question, I lean back and stare at her. She blinks her charming eyes and inspects me while waiting for my answer.

Nick brushes the nape of his neck and chuckles before grabbing Charlotte and lifting her off the ground. "Hey, Smarty, how did you come up with that question?"

She focuses her attention on her dad, and I can’t help but grin, hearing her endearing answer.

"Liam will need a best friend when he grows older. And since you and Cole are best friends, I thought that if Alisha and Cole have a baby, he and Liam can be best friends too."

Nick chuckles and places a kiss on Charlotte’s cheek. "Don’t worry about your little brother, Smarty. He will make friends, and at this moment, he’s a baby who loves the company of his big sister."

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