Page 79 of Never In My Wildest Dreams

Wise One: Party’s in Michigan so, yes, it would be on the way back from Ontario. Let me know.

Booker: Will do.

He headed toward the staircase, scrolling through text messages, when a sound broke through his concentration.

“Dat not nice.” It was a child’s voice. “I not bad.”

He waited to hear an adult, but when he didn’t, he peered into the bedroom. Actually, it was a nursery. A stunning trompe l’oeil depiction of a zoo covered the walls. A line of penguins waddled toward the window, a giant giraffe head leaned over a fence, monkeys swung from branches, and a little girl used an elephant’s trunk as a swing.

Across the room from a white bedframe was a built-in bookcase.

And a small child was climbing it. Adrenaline shot through him, and he dashed into the room, grabbing the kid around the waist and prying her stubborn fingers off the shelf.

“Hey, mans.” The little girl twisted in his arms. “What you doing?”

Good question.His heart pounded. “That doesn’t look very safe.”

“Stevie?” Noa came racing into the room. She came to a stop when she saw him manhandling the child. “What’s going on?”

“She was climbing the bookcase.”

“Girl.” Noa shook her head. “You were supposed to be getting your puzzle.” She took the girl from him. “You didn’t come here for it, did you?”

The girl pointed. “Dat my moof.”

They both glanced up to see a stuffed moose on the top shelf.

“Your mommy put it there because you threw it at your grampa, remember?”

“Gampa tooked my yolli away.” She said it angrily, but with her curly blond hair and red lips, it was pretty adorable.

“He took your lollipop away because it was breakfast, and you refused to eat your eggs. You snuck a lollipop out of the pantry instead.”

“I yike my yolli.”

“Child, you’ve got a lot to learn about self-discipline.” Noa shot him a look. “Thanks for the save.”

“No problem. I’m heading down to meet Ginty to talk wedding plans.”

“Yep. Let me find something to keep this one busy, and I’ll meet you down there.”

“You got it.” The house was quiet, so he wondered whose kid it was. Like her fiancé, Noa had fractured relationships, but she was close with two of her siblings.

The kid’s probably her niece.

Then again, he didn’t know much about Lorelei Calloway. Maybe she retired because she had a family. He couldn’t explain why his heart pinched at the thought of her being married. They’d had one conversation. It wasn’t like he knew her.

No, it was more that she reminded him of someone.

Hellcat.

Same energy, same boldness, same snark.

For the thousandth time, he wondered where she was. If he knew, he’d look her up, and if she wasn’t back with Beau, he’d reach out. Without thinking, he patted his wallet in the back pocket of his jeans. He’d probably never have a chance to give her the note, but he held out hope.

He found Ginty at the dining room table. “Hey, man. That was quick. I figured you’d be wheeling and dealing.”

“I’m supposed to be at your wedding in St. Lucia. I’ve got all my business handled.”

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