Page 70 of Cold As Ice

Austin: You can’t say shit like that to me…

Madison: Why not? Isn’t that how FRIENDS talk?

Laughter spilled out of me, causing Imogen to poke her head up from her den. “What’s funny, Mommy?”

“Just adult things,” I said, fighting a smile.

“Is it Uncle Jerrykins? Cos he’s funny,” she asked.

“No, baby. It’s not Jer.”

“Fawny thens?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, oh, I know. It must be Mr. Austins.”

My heart stuttered in my chest. I hadn’t anticipated she would remember him, but then, it was Imogen. She was practically four going on fourteen.

“I think it’s time for your bath before Granny Jacqui comes to pick you up.” She and Ken were taking Imogen for the night since I had a shift at the bar, and my parents were on their way to board the Caribbean Princess cruise ship.

“Why dids Grammy and Pops weave?”

“They’ve gone on vacation, remember?” I climbed off the couch and scooped her up out of the pillow fort we’d expertly crafted.

“Will they come back?”

“Of course, they will, sweetheart. They’ll miss you so much. I bet they’ll bring you a gift back with them.”

“Oh, oh, maybe they’ll gets me a friend for Mr. Hopsy.”

“Maybe so.”

“Yay, yay, Mr. Hopsy will haves a friend.”

I carried her into our small family bathroom and set her down on the floor.

“Mommy?”

“Yeah, baby?” I asked as I drew her bath, checking to make sure it was the right temperature.

“Will you finds a new daddy for me?”

My heart tumbled. “That’s…” Oh God. Icy, cold dread swam in my veins as she stared up at me with hope and expectation. “It doesn’t work like that, sweetheart.”

“But you can meets a nice young man. Pops said so.”

“Did he indeed?”

Dad and I would be having words about what he and Mom talked about around little ears when they were back.

“Mr. Austins—”

“Okay, princess.” I started undressing her, hoping to distract her. “Let’s get you in the bath before all the bubbles melt.”

“Bubbles don’ts melt, silly. They go p-p-pop.”

My cell vibrated again, but I ignored it, gently splashing Immy while she enjoyed the water.

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