Page 152 of Never In My Wildest Dreams

But she didn’t miss a beat. “He hasn’t found me yet.”

Oh, but I have, little one.

I’m right here.

For a man who never wanted children, he couldn’t believe the affection he felt for his daughter. And he barely knew her. Imagine a year from now. Five years.

He handed out the waters, and then sat with Stevie. Her sandy hands clutched the bottle, but she needed his help to steady it and bring it to her mouth. The liquid dribbled down her chin, and he wiped it with the bottom of his T-shirt.

He needed to talk to Hellcat.

It was time to tell his daughter he’d found her.

After a cowboy barbecue with steaks, brisket, and ribs, they held a quick rehearsal in the newly decorated barn. With the rented dance floor in place, they brought in all the guests for line dancing. Hellcat hired a local country band to perform, and the guests let loose.

Booker had his little girl in his arms, dipping and twirling. He didn’t know the first thing about country music dancing, but he was learning how to make his daughter smile, and there was nothing better than seeing her eyes sparkle and hearing her giggles.

When Hellcat joined them, the bond was electric. Somehow, they gravitated closer and closer until the three of them were in each other’s arms.

He’d gotten drafted into the NHL at eighteen, graduated first in his class from Yale, and got his dream job right out of law school with the biggest sports agency in the world, but nothing compared to this moment with the woman and daughter who’d burrowed into his heart so deeply, they’d become part of the fabric of his being.

This is what life is about.

When his little girl collapsed against her mom’s chest, Hellcat said, “Time for bed.”

The three of them left the barn and headed into the house.

After a quick bath, he wrapped her up in a towel, and she said, “Mister wead books wif me?”

“Yeah, of course.” He asked Hellcat, “Where did she get that from?”

“Mister?” Squeezing toothpaste onto the tiniest brush he’d ever seen, Hellcat smiled and said, “The Mr. Bennington books.Mr. Bennington Goes to the Park.Mr. Bennington Goes to the Beach. It’s a whole series about this very proper man who wears a suit while babysitting his niece. It’s hilarious and perfect because he’s always getting sand in his dress shoes and finding sticky lollipops in his pockets, but he’s the most wonderful uncle in the world. He hugs her when she’s sad and fixes the lamp she broke before her parents see it. It’s such a great series.”

He sat on the toilet lid and lifted Stevie onto his lap to comb her wet hair. “So, I’m the uptight, suit-wearing, prig?”

She tapped her chin, pretending to think about it. “Yes. That sounds about right.”

“I’m aprig?”

“Well, not under the covers you’re not.” She laughed. “Okay, no. You’re not a prig. But you can’t deny you’re all business.” She set her thumb on Stevie’s lower lip so she could get the toothbrush in there. “I really should keep you under the covers. You’re a lot more fun there.”

“Sassy.”

Once they had Stevie in pajamas, they climbed into her bed, sandwiching the girl between them.

“Wead, Mister.”

What once had been cute didn’t sit right with him anymore. “You know, there’s another name she could call me.” He wouldn’t force it, of course. If she wasn’t ready to tell their daughter—if she had reservations—of course, he’d wait.

And, honestly, he wasn’t sure which mattered more to him, hearing his daughter call him daddy or winning Hellcat’s trust.

All he knew was, in that moment, a lot hung in the balance.

He didn’t question Hellcat’s affection for him, but her trust issues ran deep. She might never overcome those betrayals. And, frankly, the only way to earn it was through time and his actions. So, if she wasn’t ready, he understood.

But he didn’t see even a hint of hesitation when she hugged her daughter close. “Hey, baby?”

Stevie glanced up at her mom.

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