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Dora’s hand darts up to show Buggy. “I’m hurt just like Buggy is. A piece of candy would make me feel better.”
Nikita’s blue eyes search my face. There’s an unspoken question there, so I toss her a nod even though the girls had cupcakes this morning before we went to visit Matt at the clinic.
A smile takes over her lips as she gingerly places Georgie down before she yanks two red heart shaped lollipops from the pocket of her jean jacket. “Look what I brought.”
The girls scream together.
Dora is the first to rush over with a thank you hug. Georgie joins in as soon as her lollipop is unwrapped.
Nikita tucks a strand of her black hair behind her ear as the girls step back. “I came to see your dad. I need to talk to him for a minute.”
That perks my brow. “About?”
She elbows me. “Something that will make you happy.”
“I’m going to draw you a thank you picture,” Dora announces. “I’ll be back. Don’t leave, Kita.”
“Stay right here.” Georgie points at Nikita’s feet. “I’m going to make a better picture. “
“No, you won’t.” Dora tugs at her sister’s arm.
“I will,” Georgie insists as they race around the corner toward their bedroom.
I turn my attention back to Nikita. She has three brothers, but she knows that I’m only a phone call away if she ever needs anything. “What’s wrong?”
“Did I say something was wrong?” she teases. “Maybe something is very right.”
Our bond is almost identical to the one I share with Delia, so I playfully tap her on the shoulder. “What’s very right?”
With a flourish, she dips her hand into the pocket of her jean jacket. She tugs out a chocolate bar. “I brought this for you.”
I tap my stomach. “I’m trying to stay in shape.”
“Do that after you open this one.” She drops it in my hand. “I made it just for you.”
The way she’s grinning from ear to ear tells me that this isn’t a run-of-the-mill candy bar.
“What the hell is going on, Nikita?”
She leans closer to plant a kiss on my cheek. “You’re like a brother to me, Rome, but I promised I wouldn’t say a word. My job was to give you this chocolate bar and walk away.”
I look down at it before I level my gaze back on her. I’m almost afraid to ask, but I do. “Bianca?”
She mimes locking her lips and tossing the imaginary key away while she nods.
My heart skips a beat. “I need to open this.”
“Kita!” Georgie calls from the end of the hallway. “Come and see what we’re making for you.”
Nikita steps around me. “Bianca is the sweetest person, Roman. She’s perfect for you.”
She’s right. Bianca is perfect for me.
I tear open the wrapper, toss the chocolate bar on the foyer table, and read the note that’s tucked under it.
Meet me at Bow Bridge in Central Park today at 6 PM.
I glance at the watch on my wrist. “Shit.”
“I’ll watch the girls,” Nikita says from behind me. “You go to her. I’ve got things covered here.”
I turn and stalk toward where she’s standing with Georgie by her side. Scooping my daughter into my arms, I plant a kiss on her forehead. She giggles.
Dora runs at me full speed, so I crouch down and take her into my embrace too.
I glance up at Nikita. “Matt will be home by seven. I’ll text him to relieve you.”
“Daddy’s going out!” Dora grabs ahold of Georgie’s shoulder. “We can have pizza.”
“I’ll order a pepperoni pizza,” Nikita chimes in.
“This is the best day ever!” Georgie bounces up and down with her brown hair flying around her shoulders.
“It is,” I agree with a tremor in my voice.
Bianca wants to see me at the place I go to celebrate. This may very well be a close second when it comes to the best days of my life. The first was when the two little girls clinging tightly to me were born.
Chapter 42
Bianca
After Vivi left my apartment earlier, I ran to Wolf Candy. I met Nikita, who is not only beautiful but also incredibly thoughtful.
I explained who I was without going into too much detail. I could tell by the way she smiled at me that she knows that my feelings for Roman run deep.
She was excited when I asked if she could help me send Roman a message wrapped in a chocolate bar just as he’d done for me.
She handed me a pad of paper and a pen. When I was done, we sat at one of the tables in her candy store and had lemonade while I snacked on a new creation she’s going to introduce soon.
It’s a strawberry flavored marshmallow chocolate something that she says doesn’t have a name yet.
Our conversation was easy and focused mostly on what a great friend, brother, and father Roman is.
