She grinned and said, “You’re the lady inside his phone.”
Reed’s whole face turned the same color as the pizza sauce.
Head tilted, I said, “I’m sorry, the lady inside his phone?”
“Pictures.” Scarlett giggled. “He has pictures of you inside his phone.”
Reed cleared his throat. “I’d been scrolling through some of the selfies we’d taken in Barbados, and when Scarlett spotted you, she wanted to know who the pretty lady was.”
This time my face was probably the same color as the pizza sauce.
We ate, all while Scarlett explained what’s supposed to happen during a princess tea party.
“You can be Rapunzel since your hair is almost as long as hers.” She pointed at Reed. “He’s Cinderella, and I’m Princess Scarlett of Tasmania.”
* * *
Hours ticked by, and we were still deep in the throes of Scarlett’s princess tea party.
Reed’s warm, loving, and affectionate interactions with Scarlett pinched my heart, reminding me what a catch he truly was.
“You have to turn in now, sweetie.” Reed brushed the hair out of Scarlett’s face. “We get the keys to the house tomorrow and have a long drive ahead after that.”
Her shoulders sagged, then she looked at me, eyes wide and hopeful. “Can you fall asleep with Daddy and me in The Castle?”
I opened my mouth to speak but closed it. I hadn’t heard Scarlett call ReedDaddyall evening. Hearing it made my belly flip-flop.
“Please?” she begged. “I promise it only takes two seconds for me to fall asleep. Then Daddy can carry you to bed like he does me when I fall asleep on the couch.”
She was too adorable for words, and I would have danced on the moon if she had asked me to.
“As long as it’s okay with your daddy.”
Scarlett yelped when Reed gave his blessing, spinning around like a prima ballerina.
* * *
“When I grow up, I want to be a cupcake.” Scarlett giggled, her eyes lit with delight as she peered up at me.”
“Why a cupcake?” I replied.
She rolled her eyes, like everyone else, except me, knew the answer. “Cupcakes make everybody happy.”
The three of us lay inside The Castle bordered by pink and purple twinkling lights and sheer curtains—Princess Scarlett of Tasmania snuggled in between Reed and me.
Scarlett leaned into Reed and whispered, “Can we keep her?”
Reed chuckled. “She’s not a puppy, sweetie, but we can ask if she’d like to stick around, maybe join us tomorrow on our trip to The Hamptons.”
Scarlett turned her head to face me, dark lashes fluttering. “Will you come with us tomorrow, please?”
How could I resist? “I’d love to.”
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Reed
I prayed every night I’d run into her again.
