Page 117 of Cold As Ice

No, that wasn’t right. It couldn’t be. It was just sex. I liked him, sure. But I knew it couldn’t be anything more.

“Mommy!” Imogen grabbed my face in her little hands and scowled at me. “You’re ways with the fairies again.”

“Sorry, princess. I’m really sleepy today.”

She climbed off my lap and crawled across the couch to grab the blanket. “We can have a naps, Mommy.”

My heart almost burst with love as she snuggled into me and pulled the blanket over us.

I may not have done many things right in my life, but I’d gotten it right with her.

“I love you, Imogen Grace,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her hair.

“I woves you too, Mommy. Soooo much.” She closed her eyes, and I held her tight.

Just like I always would.

* * *

“What, Jer?” I asked him Monday afternoon as we watched Imogen and Vader run loops around his apartment.

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

“Just spit it out.”

“You just seem… different. And I can’t help but wonder if you’re missing a certain hockey player?”

“I’m not.” I kept my eyes on Imogen, hoping he couldn’t see the truth on my face.

“Shame. He was a gorgeous specimen of a man.”

“If you need reminding”—I tossed him an acerbic look—“he cooled things, not me.”

“You didn’t exactly fight for him.”

“Fight for… seriously?” Incredulity dripped from my words.

How could he say that?

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he said softly. “I’m just saying he can’t have been that concerned about bumping into Imogen if he was at your apartment. And he had the perfect opportunity to walk away when he found out about her. But he didn’t.”

The look he gave me didn’t make me feel any better.

Was he right?

Was Austin giving me subliminal messages that my having a daughter wasn’t a deal breaker?

Laughter bubbled up my throat. “Nice try. You almost had me there for a moment.”

“Mads, that’s not—”

“Mommy, wooks at Vader.”

“Oh my God, Immy.” I bolted up, rushing to recuse Vader from her current predicament of being strapped into Imogen’s baby stroller. “Sweetheart, we can’t do that to Vader. She’s a cat, baby. Not a dolly.”

“But she wikes it, Mommy. She tolds me.”

“She told her?” I mouthed to Jeremiah, who could barely contain his laughter.

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