Page 58 of Tinley's Daddy

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“Yeah, you are, because that’s what us ninjas do.” Rayna moved her hands into a karate chop.

“Ninja?”

Josh said she was into that stuff.

“Yep. I’m a ninja and now you will be too.” She leaned in. “After the initiation, of course.”

“Of course.”

“Then we will have our very own clan.” Rayna grinned.

“What’s a clan?” Music played from the other room.

“It’s a gang of ninjas.” Rayna turned. “Daddy, can I have a piece of paper and a pen?” She turned back to me. “We have to create our clan creed and of course our secret handshake.”

I giggled.

“Oh, no, Tinley.” Her face frowned. “Ninja business is serious.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I tried to match her serious expression. We both erupted in giggles.

“And as ninjas we hold onto each other’s secrets, right?” Rayna nodded.

I nodded back.

“So if you need to talk to me about anything, it stays between you and me and vice versa. Right?”

“Right.”

Rayna wrote something on the piece of paper and held it up. It said:

Do you like Josh?

My eyes grew wide. I nodded slightly. Rayna stifled a squeal. It took all her effort and made her look like was holding in a sneeze. We giggled again.

But my giggles stopped. My heart raced. I did like Josh. I frowned.

“What’s wrong? He likes you, too.” She looked over her shoulder, but Kyler was gone.

“How do you know?” I pulled the screen closer.

“I could see it in his eyes when he looked at you.” Rayna shook her head. “That man is in love.”

I frowned and Rayna stopped dancing. “Don’t you want him to like you?”

“I don’t think I’m the right… girl for him.” The words felt weird on my tongue.

“What do you mean?”

“He should be with some perfect woman whose little is perfect and doesn’t have all this baggage.” I moved my hand in a circle over my head. “He deserves someone who hasn’t been ruined.”

“Hey,” Rayna yelled. I blinked. “Don’t you dare talk about my new bestie like that.” She pointed. “You understand me?”

Rayna sure was bossy.

“Now listen to me.” She leaned in. “You are beautiful and sweet and caring, and Josh would be lucky to have someone like you.”

“You think so?”

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