Page 32 of Two Hearts Reunited

“You’re such a sweet little girl, aren’t you?” Anya cooed softly, unwrapping the blanket a little and tickling Arielle’s belly.

Arielle smiled.

“Uh, oh. Are you getting your first tooth?” Anya asked, touching her bottom gum. “It feels like it might be popping up. Your bottom gum is a little red and you keep on rubbing it with your fist.”

Without a doubt, Eric would keep that mental picture in his mind for a very long time. “I’m surprised that Ashley or Brian haven’t noticed.”

“I might be wrong. The only reason I thought about it was because one of the girls from work has a baby about the same age, and she brought her in the other day after her doctor’s appointment,” Anya said, reaching for the pacifier that he handed over. “She pointed out the lower gum. If you have another pacifier like this, I think it can go in the freezer to soothe her gums.”

“I think there are like three or four of them floating around. I saw a couple in the kitchen,” he answered, grinning. “I’ll pop one in there while I’m getting something to eat. I think the two of you are going to be fine.”

When Arielle suddenly laughed, Anya’s widened eyes met his.

“That was a little eerie, wasn’t it?” he asked.

Anya huffed out a breath, tickling Arielle’s chin. “You know what we’re saying. Don’t you Arielle?”

This time she smiled widely, batting her fists together.

Laughing, Eric headed toward the kitchen. “I guess I’d better get my food and heat up her bottle while she’s still content. I’ll run upstairs first and grab something for her to wear.”

Once Arielle had been dressed in her sleepers, Anya insisted on feeding her the bottle while Eric ate, and soon they had Arielle asleep in the playpen.

“Why don’t you eat in the kitchen? I can make coffee,” he suggested. “And then I can clean everything up before Brian and Ashley get home.”

“Come to think of it, I am a little hungry now,” she admitted. “I’ll leave everything here for you guys if you have the space. I sure don’t.”

“I don’t think there’ll be much left anyway. I forgot how good the food is at the Inn. I ate quite of bit of prime rib,” he confessed.

Once Anya was seated at the table eating a pretty decent portion of a seafood pasta dish along with some side dishes of cheesy potatoes and broccoli, Eric helped himself to some of the cheesecake she’d brought along.

“Ashley said that they might be late because they were packing up several items for shipping in the morning,” Eric said. “There were some pretty substantial bids on most of the artwork, so most can be sent out immediately. I even bid for the portrait done of this place years ago.”

“Isn’t that series beautiful? I’ve seen it on display in the mall,” she said. “I have to go into work extra early tomorrow so we can get everyone out of there by three to enjoy the holidays. I suppose I’d better get moving after we finish eating.”

“I’m glad that you came by,” he said softly, forking some of the chocolate turtle cheesecake from his plate and holding it up to her mouth.

When the tip of Anya’s tongue lightly skimmed over the tiny chocolate chips on top before she bit into the cheesecake and closed her eyes, obviously savoring the taste, he was ready to reach right over the table and yank her into his arms.

“You don’t know what you’re doing to me right now,” he said hoarsely.

She opened her eyes, smiling coyly before she winked. “Maybe I do.”

His mouth gaped open, until he suddenly burst out laughing. “Now that’s the Anya I remember.”

“I had a really nice day today, Eric. Danielle Loughlin said something about asking Penny about working with her in some special position. I’m not sure what she has in mind, but I’m thinking I might be ready to do more with my life than work at the flower shop, although I’d still manage the mall and do the accounting for the shop. That’s something that doesn’t take much time for me. Besides, my friend Jaynie is more than capable of managing the shop.”

“You sound…happy,” Eric admitted.

“Let’s just say I’m more accepting of the circumstances. I don’t want to end up like Mom, as much as I loved her.”

“From what you’ve said, she didn’t want you to end up like her either,” Eric agreed, sliding over a plate he’d loaded with another piece of chocolate chip cheesecake.

She grinned, picking up the fork.

“Would you like some coffee?” he asked, standing to make a small pot. “I’d better have a cup since I don’t know how long Brian and Ashley will be.”

“I’d better not. I don’t want to oversleep. It’s been a long day today, but exciting too.”

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