Page 52 of Bittersweet

“I made it look like my mommy.”

Logan froze. He hadn’t yet told Harper about Naya getting out of prison. He’d planned to tell her later that night, but he worried Kayla might just beat him to it.

“Very pretty,” Harper told her.

“She’s coming to visit soon,” Kayla revealed.

Logan closed his eyes, knowing she was about to let the cat out of the bag.

“She is?” Harper asked.

“Yep,” Kayla replied happily. “She’s getting out of jail because she was a good girl.”

Dang it! He stirred the sauce and listened for Harper’s reply, but there was only silence.

“Want to help me pick her outfit?” Kayla asked.

Harper cleared her throat. “Sure. I like the pink dress.”

“Oh, me too. Let’s make mommy wear that one.”

Logan finished preparing dinner and avoided looking into the living room as he set some plates and silverware on Harper’s dining table and carried the food in. “It’s ready,” he announced.

Kayla bounced across the floor toward him and climbed up into the chair, grabbing her silverware and banging it on the table.

“Kayla! Set those down until it’s time to eat.”

“It’s time! It’s time!” Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Do you want to go to bed with no spaghetti?”

She pressed her lips together and set the silverware back in place.

Logan looked over at Harper, who was staring at the bowl of spaghetti in the center of the table. He reached over and took her plate, scooping some noodles for her, then did the same for Kayla and himself.

He passed Harper the sauce first, and she finally made eye contact with him.

“I was going to tell you tonight,” he admitted.

“When does she get out?”

“In a couple weeks.”

Harper’s eyebrows raised. “That soon?”

“I was surprised too. She has a year left, but they have issues with overcrowding, and she earned it based on good behavior.”

Kayla perked up at that. “My mommy had good behavior.”

Harper smiled at Kayla. “I know. That’s good.” She glanced back and forth between Logan and Kayla a couple times. “We can talk more after dinner.”

He mouthed a thank you, and they enjoyed their meal. Just the three of them. Harper was so great with Kayla, and Logan couldn’t stop three little words from crossing his mind.

Like a family.

As the closing credits of Finding Nemo rolled, Logan realized both of his girls had fallen asleep on him—Harper tucked against his side with her arm draped over his stomach and Kayla holding his hand with her head on his knee. He didn’t want to move. This moment felt so perfect. He wanted to freeze time and memorize this feeling for the days when things weren’t so wonderful. He hoped this was the beginning of many such nights with these lovely ladies.

He turned his head and inhaled the scent of Harper’s hair, like sugar cookies and frosting. She stirred against him and looked up into his face.

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