Page 48 of Hero for the Holidays

He wondered if Fia did.

“She said she just needs somebody to be there for her,” Fia said softly. “We’re somebody.”

“Yeah,” he said, his heart going tight. “We are.”

Fia moved away from him, disconnecting their hold. “I’d like to have her spend the night.”

For some reason, internally, he rejected it. But he didn’t reject it out loud. “Of course. Anytime.”

He hesitated. “Let’s... I don’t know what all we’re going to have to do to get you involved in the adoption process. But I assume that you want to legally adopt her also.”

“Yes,” she said. “I do.”

“I’ll find out. I’ll call the caseworker tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s... Let’s hold off on her spending the night.”

“Why?” she asked.

“It’s just all new and different. I swear I’m not... I’m not...”

“You’re just worried,” she said.

“Yeah, I know it doesn’t really make any sense. But she’s had a lot of changes.”

He could see that she was resentful. Resentful that he was in the position that he was the one who knew Lila best at this point. The one who was in charge of making this call.

And he thought about saying something different. He thought about reversing what he’d decreed.

But he had just walked back a whole lot of things. And he wasn’t quite ready to deal with this.

“All right,” she said. “Can she spend the day with me again tomorrow? I’d like to take her to the farm store. And I would like for her to meet my sisters.”

“Yeah. Can I... Can I come for dinner?”

She took another sip of the apple pie. “Yeah. Why don’t you come for dinner?”

Right then, as dumb as it was, he felt a little bit like he had a date with Fia Sullivan.

CHAPTER NINE

SHEDIDTHINK, as she waited for Landry to come again the next day for them to make the exchange so that she could bring Lila to the farm store, that it was hilarious they were having dinner with each other’s families two nights in a row.

If she could find much of anything super hilarious right now. Especially concerning Landry.

He had apologized. It had been tantamount to him saying she was right. He had essentially said that. It was very strange. And not expected at all.

She was excited to bring Lila to the farm store. Because Rory, Quinn and Alaina would all be there.

So as soon as she and Landry pulled into the driveway, Fia was out the door.

She waved and then felt silly. She practically ran up to the car, like a favorite surprise she’d been waiting for had just gotten there. But that was how she felt.

Lila brightened when she saw Fia and jumped out of the car.

She felt like Lila maybe even wanted to hug her, but didn’t.

---