I don’t know how long I sit there and stare at the drawing, but the sound of running boots on gravel causes me to look up, right before Sadie plows into me.
“I love you, Katie,” she says, words bursting out of her along with an enormous grin. “I told Daddy we can share a room when you stay over, but he wants you to share with him.” She leans in close. “He snores though, so you might not want to, butdon’t be mean to him about it. He really likes you so it might hurt his feelings.”
I wrap my arms around her and pull her onto my lap, carefully setting the picture down beside me.
Dallas sits on the step beside me and I lean into him. “How?” He asks, picking up the drawing.
“Tilly,” I say simply, then I turn my focus back to Sadie. “I love you too, Lady Sadie, and I really like your dad, so I’ll do my very best not to hurt his feelings.”
She leans in close again and I inhale the bubblegum scent of her hair. “He told me he loves you.”
“Did he now? That’s good, because I love him too.”
She giggles like I’ve told her a secret and snuggles into me. I lean into Dallas’s side as he wraps an arm around me. It’s a moment of pure bliss.
“Let’s get you back to the main house,” Dallas says to Sadie after a few perfect minutes pass and Sadie starts wriggling in my lap. I’m impressed she’s stayed still this long. “Katie can have her bath.”
“Then I’ll come over. Maybe see if Vi has space for a couple of extras for dinner?”
“You sure?” he asks, eyes gentle with affection and concern.
“Yeah. It seems like a good day to be with family.”
“That it does.” He kisses my temple and helps Sadie up. “We’ll see you soon.”
I soakin the bath until the water is cold and my fingers are pruned. I climb out, wrap myself in the fluffy towel Dallas left for me, then sit on the edge of the bath contemplating my choices.
I have no spare clothes, only the shirt Dallas gifted me, so either I put back on my ruined skirt, or I find something of Dallas’s to wear. I eye the crumpled pile of my wet, dirty clothes. I’m reluctant to put them back on, but I’m even more reluctant to rifle through Dallas’s things. We may be together, but I’m not comfortable searching his drawers.
The front door opens just as I’m shaking out my skirt and Dallas appears, knocking on the bathroom door before pushing it open. He has a bag in hand and holds it out to me.
“Olivia suggested I bring these over. Something for you to wear.”
I exhale a breath and take the bag. “Oh, thank you. I was not looking forward to putting this back on.” I wave the skirt at him, then drop it on the floor.
“I’m sorry about that. Is the shirt salvageable? Maybe after we’ve washed it we could have an encore,” he says, eyes flashing.
“I can get behind that.” I smirk at him and lift my hand to the fold where my towel is held in place. “But maybe for now …”
“I wish, princess. But dinner’s almost ready.” He steps closer, his hand coming to rest on my cheek as he gently tilts my chin to look up at him. “It’s okay. We’ve got all the time in the world.”
He’s right. “We do,” I say as I turn my head and kiss his palm.
He leaves the bathroom while I pull on Olivia’s clothes, a pair of comfy jeans and a sweatshirt. I finger comb my hair and use one of Sadie’s hair ties to secure it in a messy ponytail and finally wipe the remnants of my makeup from my face.
It’s a stark difference to me preparing for my date with Dallas earlier, but for a family dinner, I feel perfect.
We walk to the main house hand in hand and when we enter the kitchen Sadie promptly drops her hand of cards—leaving Flynn looking rather put out—and bounces over to greet us. She immediately, and proudly, announces to the room that her daddy and I love each other.
Flynn applauds, Violet gives us a warm smile, but while Olivia is smiling, there’s something else in her expression. She’s wary.
“Sadie, my love, can you come and help me get something from the garden?” Violet says, and when Sadie nods vigorously, leads the way out the back door.
When it’s just the four of us—me, Dallas, Flynn and Olivia—silence falls as everyone glances furtively from one to the other, wondering who’s going to be the first to speak.
“Are you staying?” Olivia asks finally, resignation in her tone. “Or are you both leaving?” Her voice wavers as I cross the room to her. “I’m sorry,” she whispers as I take her hands. “I’m so happy for you, but I just need to know.”
“We’re staying, Livvie.” I squeeze her hands tight and she raises her watery eyes to look at me. “I want to be here. All of my family is here, and they’re more important than anything Max Sheridan has to say to me.”