Nodding slowly, she steps closer to the snowglobes. While she’s preoccupied, I pick up one of the dinosaur-themed spheres, holding it behind my back while we move down the row.
“Will you tell me about them?” She glances over her shoulder at me. “Your nieces?”
“Ah.” Just the thought of my brothers’ babygirls brings a smile to my face. “I think you’ll like them. Lanie is a bit of a hellion, always getting into something and keeping her Daddy on his toes. Josie is a bit older and not quite as rambunctious but she can certainly make her fair share of trouble when she puts her mind to it.”
“Hmm.” Nose wrinkling as though she’s giving the issue some considerable thought, she scans the offerings. “Are they more tomboys or super girlie?”
“Depends on their mood, though Lanie is a fan of playing outside. Josie would be happiest if she could spend all day curled up on the couch reading. Or writing. She’s an author.”
“Really? That’s so cool.” Pure awe lights my babygirl’s face before she turns back to the snowglobes. “What about this one for Josie, then? It looks like something from a storybook.”
Carefully plucking one of the glass spheres from the shelf, she holds it up for me to examine. It’s a unicorn and a princess, with a bright rainbow behind them, as if they’ve been plucked straight out of a fairytale.
“Perfect. And for Lanie?”
“This one.”
Another princess, but this one is fighting a dragon, her red hair billowing behind her and her sword held high. “Another perfect choice. You’re a natural at this, little firecracker.”
A shy smile curves her lips as she runs a hand over the dragon-fighting princess. “I wish I was more like her. Brave and fearless.”
From what I’ve seen, my babygirl is plenty brave. But if she wants to be a dragon-fighting princess, I have no doubt Lanie will get her there.
All while giving me and my siblings plenty of reasons to redden their adorable bottoms, if Lanie’s history is anything to go by.
Suddenly, I can’t wait to get my babygirl home.
CHAPTER 7
TABITHA
“Holy Hannah! Is that our plane?”
Behind me, Daddy chuckles, deep and amused. “Yes, little firecracker. That’s our plane.”
“It’s so big! It must seat like a thousand people!”
Again his laughter rumbles, the sound snaking up my spine in a not-altogether- unpleasant way. “Hardly. Twenty, at most, but today it’s just us.”
Shock has me whirling away from the sight of the giant plane we’ve just parked beside—which was a new experience in and of itself because I’ve never been driven straight up to a plane like that before—to gape at him. “Just the two of us? On that huge plane?”
“Yes, babygirl.”
Frowning, I turn back to the plane. “That’s such a waste of fuel. We should just fly commercial.”
A tug on my hand pulls my attention back to him as he guides me out of the car and across the tarmac. “Would it help you to know that your Uncle Max invests in plenty of reforestation projects to help offset his carbon footprint?”
“Who’s Uncle Max? One of your brothers?”
“No, he’s just a friend.”
Before I can ask any more questions, a stunning blonde woman appears at the top of the stairs. “Good afternoon, Mr. Thorne. We’re all ready for you and your Little one.”
“Thank you, Kerry.” Daddy’s tone is full of affection, and an emotion I don’t recognize pricks at the base of my spine. Pausing at the top of the steps, Daddy offers her a warm smile. “You’re a very good girl.”
Pink colors the blonde’s cheeks and her smile deepens as she steps aside. “Just doing my job, Mr. Thorne.”
“I’ll be sure to tell Maxwell what a good job you’re doing.” Daddy winks. “See if we can’t get you a raise.”
