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“I wish you’d give yourself more credit. You’re a good man and I know you would never let anything happen to Sofi.”
“I was supposed to take care of Elena. She was my baby sister, it was my job. My duty. I fucked that up, didn’t I? Why would I put Sofi through that?”
My heart dropped on the floor and shattered in a million shards, bleeding for him. Hunter had broad shoulders, but not enough to carry all that guilt that didn’t belong to him. I didn’t get the chance to respond because Sofi took the lead again.
“Cuppa! Gimme, gimme, diki, diki.”
Hunter turned to her with a bittersweet expression, and found his niece with her hands up, closing and opening her fists, but he didn’t know what to do. That was my cue to step in.
“When she says cuppa, she means cup.” I smiled and picked up the sippy-cup filled with water from the counter. “The last part means give me a drink. She’s thirsty.”
The moment Sofi got her sippy-cup she went crazy on it, calming herself, but Hunter was looking at her with owl eyes.
“Hunter, are you ok?”
“She…speaks?”
“Mhm. Sofi is such a smart baby. It’s only a few words now, but I’m telling you she’ll start forming full sentences in a matter of weeks. Be careful what you say around her because this little lady picks upeverything.”
“Wow. I’m just…she speaks already.”
“Your niece is growing up, Hunter. She’ll be one soon. I’m not trying to get into your business, but time flies so fast. I don’t want you to look back and regret not being part of her baby life, that’s all I’m saying.” He didn’t reply. “Anyway, the muffins should be ready by now. The baby already ate, so I will take her upstairs. If you’re hungry, there’s fresh cream of mushroom soup on the stove.”
“You cooked?”
“I did.”
To my surprise, he smiled.
“Such a good kitten.”
Oh. Oh, so I was kitten, now.
“Thank you. I’ll come eat when Sofi is asleep.”
“Amelia, I’m not going to let you starve. Stay and eat.”
“You should too, and I don’t want to chase you out of your own kitchen. I can’t leave Sofi alone in her room.”
“Well.” He stepped to me and bent in for a soft kiss. “Would you two ladies honor me and stay for dinner tonight? We could have a quiet meal out on the terrace.”
Yeah, he definitely hadn’t spent too much time with kids if he thought quiet was an option.
“I don’t want to bother you.”
“Please, kitten. Can you two stay with me? I don’t want to eat alone.”
I could never say no to that. Not that I wanted to. He let me in, even if he tried to hide it, I knew he let me in, and now he was finally letting in Sofi, too.
“We would love to, but we have conditions.”
“Oh, really? I’m listening.”
“None of that Mr. Knox bullshit.”
“If I’m correct, Amelia, I haven’t asked you to be formal in days. It pisses me the hell off, but it’s obvious that you simply can’t follow that rule.”
“I meant that you can’t order me around. We will eat in peace.”
