Page 30 of The Wedding Toast
He chuckled with her.“And how’s that?”
“You don’t know how to talk to me, even though you said you wanted to.”
“That’s true,” he admitted.Do you think people who are already dads know how to talk to you?”
“Oh no, buttheythink they do.”
That made him laugh.“You’re an insightful young lady, aren’t you?”
She nodded solemnly.“Yes, but it’s lonely sometimes.”
Reaves’s chest tightened, and he wanted even more to give the kid a hug.“You’ll have lots of people to hang out with while you’re here,” he said.
“I know.But just because there’s lots of people around doesn’t mean it’s not lonely.”
“That’s right,” said Reaves.“Well, I’m going to be busy bringing people in for the wedding a lot of the time, but I’ll come find you and hang out with you when I can.”
The huge smile that lit up her face made him feel like a hero.
“You will?”she asked.“You want to?”
“I do,” he told her honestly.“I don’t know about you, Miss Zia, but I feel like I just made a new friend.”
She wriggled closer until she was leaning against his side and rested her cheek against his arm.
“I’m very happy for you to be my new friend.And you still need a name.”
He gave her a puzzled smile.He’d already told her his name, so he waited.
After a few moments she leaned back to look up into his eyes.
“I shall name you Prince Daddy.”
“Prince Daddy?”he asked.
“That’s right,” she said as she slipped down from the wall.“One day you will be king of all the daddies.Because you’ll be good at it, I know you will.I can tell.But you aren’t one yet, so you’re only a prince.”
Reaves wasn’t sure if his laughter was more at her description or at himself for the fact that it made perfect sense to him.
She took hold of his hand and tugged.“We should go back to the house now.Elena has cookies.”
“Do we need to check on your mom first?”he asked.
“That’s okay.She’s working.”
She tugged on his hand again, but she must have seen the concern in his eyes.
“She loves me.And she takes very good care of me.The only reason I’m allowed to run wild is because here in the Cornflower Kingdom, everything’s safe.There are walls and a growly dragon at the front gate, so that no intruders may enter.”
Reaves couldn’t help it; he laughed out loud – she had to be referring to Slade.“Okay.In that case… let’s go find those cookies.”
Chapter Eight
Becca leaned back in her chair.“That was delicious, thank you both.”
She loved the smile that her mom and Elena exchanged.They got along so well, and between them they came up with fabulous food.
The first time her folks had come to stay, Becca had been a little worried.Her mom was used to ruling the kitchen at home, while the kitchen here at Jacob’s place was considered to be Elena’s domain.Fortunately, rather than locking horns, the two of them had been happy to work together, trading tips and recipes.
