Page 96 of Promise

[Trinity]

Apparently, I’m being kidnapped. Or rather, girlfriend-napped.

Dart doesn’t seem half as surprised as I am when he opens the door to Vale and Genie, both dressed for line dancing.

Wednesdays are Women’s Night at Shenanigans. The local place is an old barn converted into a country bar, complete with pine-paneled walls, hardwood floors for stomping, and lots of space for dancing.

“Girl, get your boots on,” Vale hollers, then quiets her voice, seeing Mirabelle in Dart’s arms. “Time for Mom’s Night Out.”

I laugh at the thought when it hits. I am a mom. I’m Mirabelle’s mom, and I smile at her tucked in the crook of Dart’s elbow.

“Did you know about this?” I ask him, curious why he isn’t reacting.

“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” His smile gives him away.

“You start work next week, so we wanted to sneak in a night out before your schedule gets all wonky,” Genie says.

My schedule will be hit or miss as I start back to work, and I glance at Mirabelle again, thinking I should stay home and suck up time with her. My time will be even more limited once I return to the hospital, and I know I’ll miss Mirabelle. And Dart. I want to spend time with them. As a family.

But I don’t have time to dwell on that final thought when Dart whispers, “Go.” He nods toward the staircase. “Change.”

I glance down at my loose sweatpants and cropped top.

“Are you sure?” I ask him. He hasn’t been alone with Mirabelle yet.

“Consider this a practice run,” he says, offering me a reassuring smile.

I rush up the staircase and fling open the closet, rustling through my clothes for a fun little dress and my cowboy boots. I’m giddy as I comb my fingers through my hair and put on makeup for the first time in weeks. A girl’s night out might be just what I need.

As I saunter down the stairs, the heels of my cowboy hit the treads. Dart is still standing at the base, holding Mirabelle, and he does a double-take while watching me descend.

His amber eyes are like a sunset. Burnt orange, dull yellow, almost eclipsing the soft brown. His gaze stays pinned on me, like I’m the most stunning thing he’s ever seen, even in an old dress and worn boots.

I hop off the second step, landing with a thud, which startles Mirabelle.

“All set.” I glance around Dart at the girls who are still standing in the entryway.

“Let’s go,” Genie hollers, swinging her hand like a lasso in the air.

“Time to get our country groove groovin’,” Vale teases, opening the front door after saying goodnight to Dart. She steps out onto the front porch.

“We’ll have her home before midnight, Dad,” Genie jokes with Dart, before swinging out the door herself.

My gaze pings to Dart.

“She didn’t mean . . .” I point toward Genie’s exit.

Half his mouth smiles. “She was kidding,” he confirms, but it makes me wonder once again if Dart still wants to be a dad. If he wants to be Mirabelle’s dad. We still need to talk about that, but right now isn’t the time.

For some reason, my gaze catches on the antique coat rack in my hallway. The one where two baseball caps now hang. One is for the days Dart plays ball with the guys. The other says Velocity on the front. Dart likes the bill of his caps rounded, not flat, and that Velocity one looks well-worn. And I marvel at how Dart has slowly started infiltrating the house again.

His boots by the door. His hat on that rack. His clothes mixed in with the laundry.

“I’m not certain I should let you out of the house like that.” His voice is all appreciation, and my head turns quickly, catching him running his gaze down my form. Taking in the short, flirty dress that hits above my knees. The height of my cowboy boots, which show off plenty of leg.

“Excuse me,” I counter. He can’t tell me what to wear, but he’s also looking at me like he’d like to take my clothes off.

“You look sexy, baby.” His eyes snap back to mine.