Page 104 of Her Billionaire Bargain (Kensington Square)

“Oh, honey, I’m not upset about that. I’m upset if you’ve needed help and didn’t feel like you could come to me.” I cuddled her into my side and kissed the top of her hair.

She didn’t say anything.

“You know you can, right? No matter what. I’m never too busy for you. And I never will be. Anything you need we will figure out a way to make happen. Unless it’s a Barbie castle,” I said to make her smile.

She didn’t even care about dolls all that much anymore. She was more a racing-around-outside kind of girl.

“I like being here,” she said softly.

“Here? Like this house?”

“Well, yeah, it’s nice, but it’s not about the house. I just like being with Bob and Dex and you when you’re happy.” She lowered her gaze. “I only knew the difference after. Before, I thought that was just you.”

I didn’t know what to say. For a minute, I wished for Dex—and that was nuts, because he wasn’t a parent. I was the one who should know how to handle this. But I just did not because there was truth in her words.

“I’m trying,” I murmured.

“I know. Me too.” She let out a world-weary sigh that was way too heavy for an almost-nine-year-old.

“We’ll figure it out together.” I leaned my cheek on her head.

“With Dex too?”

There was no point in arguing that I didn’t know about Dex yet. Obviously, everything was too new with us, but if I followed my heart, it would lead me to him every time. That didn’t mean it was right—or that I could trust these feelings—but I also couldn’t deny my happiness any longer.

I had to try. Not even just for me, but for my daughter.

“With Dex too,” I murmured, resisting the urge to add on qualifiers. “We’re all going to try.”

TWENTY-THREE

I came backin to find my girls asleep in the pillow fort.

Chairs held up one of the larger blankets so they could sleep under the tent-like contraption. Their arms and legs were tangled, and both were sawing them off.

Love surged through me too fast for me to deny. It wasn’t even a question. More like…oh, okay,that’swhat that unsettled feeling was.

I didn’t have to ask Bishop or Preston. Neither of those clowns had told me that when it happens for real, there was nothing to wonder about. You knew. Or at leastIknew.

My only question was how I was going to convince her.

Maybe I should ask Clint about the whole convincing thing. Bishop and Preston were far too smug about the entire process.

I fought back a yawn as Bob burst forward and leaped into the pillow fort with his usual grace, ending up sprawled in his typical undignified manner. But he was happily asleep in mere minutes while I debated if I should go back to my bed or if I should make sure Shelby and Berry had enough covers under the blanket tent since it was a windy night despite the late spring warmth.

Then Shelby rolled over and opened her eyes long enough to extend her arm in my direction. “Why are you so far away?” she asked in a sleepy voice.

I did not know.

I joined the pile, making sure I didn’t take up more than my share of room. I’d never been part of a pillow fort before. Even one that was now, other than the one draping blanket, basically just a pile of bedding and toys, mostly of the dog variety.

Not to mention, I was practically certain I’d need to get a massage tomorrow after sleeping at this odd angle, but I didn’t care. Some pains were more than worth it.

And then Shelby wiggled forward to curl under my arm and hell, yeah, it was worth it.

The next time I opened my eyes, the room was empty. Even my dog had abandoned me.

But I smiled at the memory just the same—until I rolled over and my back cramped in a wicked spasm.

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