Page 36 of Then Came You

I'm nervous, but I need to break the ice. "Hi, you must be Haven?" Sitting down, she's the same height as me when standing, so we're eye-to-eye.

"I am! Daddy says your name is Row, like the boat. That's a funny name. Did your Mum think you were going to be a boat instead of a girl?" Blade groans again, muttering a 'Lord have mercy on me' from the side. I look at him and back at her and can see where she gets her gorgeous looks from. She's pretty with silky brunette hair that flows just past her waist, that's pulled to one side with a rainbow clip. Her eyes resemble Blade's, but they're a deeper green, like moss, and she has the cutest button nose that complements her rosy cheeks. She looks like a real-life Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

"Nope. Mum just really likes boats," I shrug, lying about my Moniker. I was named Row because Mum wanted a boy instead of a girl - or at least that's what she told me.

"Woah, I'm glad my parents didn't name me after what they like. Daddy really loves beef jerky, and Mummy says she likes bags. Can you imagine if I was called Jerky Bag?" She finds it hilarious, and so do I. I reach out and tickle her.

The more I speak to her, the easier it gets. "I don't know… Jerky bag sounds pretty cool," I jest, teasing her. Her laughter fills me up with a wholesome happiness I've never known.

"Are you okay?" Blade pulls my attention away from his mini-human.

"I don't even know how to answer that apart from being utterly mortified." I hang my head in shame.

"You're still really pretty," Haven chimes in, offering her two cents, which at this point is worth more than their weight in gold.

"Thanks. Did I scare you?" I ask.

"Nah ah. You looked like Snow White sleeping. I asked daddy if we could find your prince, but he said that's not how we wake you up." This girl is too adorable for words. "Woah look at your hair!" She squeals, pointing to my braid. "Daddy, look, look, she looks like a crocodile. I want to be a crocodile!" Her antics are too much. Soon my stomach stitches from laughing are going to hurt way worse than my nose if she continues to say everything that pops up in her mind unfiltered.

"So cool," Blade confirms, winking at me.

"Can you do a braid on me?" she asks. I look toward Blade for approval.

"Only if Row has time. You might be able to ask her your very special question while you're in the chair as well."

With that settled, I lead her to a chair and boost her up with pillows so she can see herself in the mirror. I make sure to be extra careful so I don't hurt a strand on her head, but it's difficult when she is excitedly squirming. I engage in easy conversation with her about her favourite toys and food, and I think it's going well until she goes quiet.

What did I do wrong? I urgently look to Blade to try and decipher her behaviour.

"Princess, are you nervous to ask Row your question?" Blade intuitively guesses. She quickly nods, looking at him in the mirror. He kneels beside her. God, he's sexy when he's in dad-mode. "Sweetheart, Row is sooooo nice, I bet you she will love any question you ask her."

Now I'm nervous.

"Um, Row, I want to ask you something, but it's totally okay if you say no," she hedges.

"Um. Sure?" I kneel next to her.

"Well, I'm turning five next month, and daddy said I could have a princess pamper party, but Mummy said no, then they yelled." She's cut off by Blade.

"Haven, Row doesn't need to know that Mummy and Daddy had a fight, get to the point," he says exasperated. I don't know what it's like to have divorced parents, just a dead one and an absent one, but it seems like it can be frustrating at times, and Haven being as young as she is doesn't understand the nuances of it all.

"Sorry," she sasses back. "Anyway, as I was saying. Daddy is throwing me a pamper party, and I wanted to ask if you could do all our hair?" She sits up eagerly, moving closer to my face, waiting for my reply. I'm taken aback. This is the cutest job offer ever, but it's too much.

Blade and I haven't spoken about where we're headed, and deep diving into something with someone who has kids is a big deal, especially for me, who doesn't think she's cut out to be a mother figure. I need time to adjust to the idea. I need time to work on myself. I need time to get through my fears and insecurities. I need time to be a more suitable and attractive option for Blade.

"Uh… Really?" I ask again, trying to buy myself some time.

She nods enthusiastically. "You look like a fairy, and no one else has ever had a fairy do their hair before. I'm going to be the coolest kid ever."

"Are you sure you want me there?" I stumble over my words, looking at Blade.

I'm sucked into a vortex of panic. I can't meet his son, or his ex-wife, or his rich friends. It's ludicrous I'm ever meeting his daughter. Most of my clothes are from Vinnies. I don't belong in his world. Blade immediately tries to ameliorate my fears when he sees the trepidation on my face.

"We definitely want you there. It's going to be relatively low-key, just in the backyard of my house, but Haven hasn't stopped raving about you since she got a glimpse of you when she rang that time."

There's not really a way out of this for me. Or it doesn't seem like he's giving me one. I could use work as an excuse, but something tells me it wouldn't take much to twist Trish's arm to let me have a few hours off if I needed.

"Oh um, then sure. Haven, I'd love to be a part of your very special birthday." I fake a smile.

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