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Stepping into the heated store, Fletch’s grin stretches wide as Mia wriggles down from Aubree’s arms and sprints across the store with a squeal. “Daddy!”
“Moo-Moo!” He catches her on the fly and smothers her face in kisses. Her nose. Her cheeks. The very center of her forehead. “I missed you all day, Moo.”
“I went shopping.” Her tiny body vibrates with excitement. “Shopping!”
“Oh no!” He looks to a statue-still Aubree and gives an odd chuckle. “They’ve brainwashed you already? Did you find anything you want, Moo?”
“A dress,” she growls playfully. “A beautiful, shiny dresswifa skirt that spins. And shoes! They gotap-tapwhen I stomp down.”
“Aubree,” Minka’s voice comes from across the shop, distracted and far away. Stepping out of a partitioned area, her torso twists as she moves forward but her eyes remain focused on the back of the gold dress she wears. “What do you think about—”
“Ahem.” Aubree dramatically clears her throat. “Minka, stop.”
“What—” Startled from her preoccupation, Minka brings her gaze around and locks eyes with me, then her feet stop so her entire body sways in place. “Archer. I… Um…”
She wears a stunning, golden gown, the kind with no straps so she can show off her shoulders and collarbone. Giant clips line the fabric to hold the slightly-too-large dress in place, and when her leg moves just a fraction of an inch, my gaze is instantly drawn down to the slit that shows off more of her thigh than I’ve seen in… too long.
“Uh… Archer, I don’t—”
“Go. Get changed.” Aubree shoos her boss with a literal flick of her wrist. “That’s the right one. Tell Julie to size it up and add the finishing touches. She has less than twenty-four hours to get it done.” Turning my way and flashing a wide grin, the younger woman says, “It’s bad luck for you to see the dress early.”
“That’s just…” My own spit sits in my throat and threatens to kill me. “That’s only— No—”
Rolling her eyes at my stunned expression, she sends her amused gaze to Fletch. “We’re done here. Mia had a corndog, and you have a daughter?” Dropping her expression, Aubree storms across the small store and slaps his arm. “You have achild, Charlie Fletcher?”
“Don’t hit me!” He moves Mia to his other hip and catches Aubree’s wrist when she winds up for another slap. “Stop it!”
“We’re gonna talk about this,” she snarls. “And then you’re gonna apologize for not sharing something so amazing and exciting and awesome with me.Your friend, Charlie.”
“We weren’t that close before!” He throws her hand from his and scowls. But Mia, snuggling into Fletch’s neck, grins and watches them bicker. “We were always pals, but not like how we are now. You can’t just expect me to spill my guts to everyone about every damn facet of my life.”
“You coulda spilledtheseguts.” Lifting four fingers, she shoves them in Fletcher’s face. “She’s three, Charlie. Three whole years old, and on a dreary, normal day, I find out she exists because you needed a babysitter?”
“You need to calm the hell down.” He peeks at Mia and stops arguing to purse his lips. “Why are you smiling?”
“Because Aubree’s funny,” she giggles. “And her dress is so pretty. And my dress, Daddy! My dress sparkles.”
“What’s your dress for, Moo?” Reaching up, he pushes the hair back from her face. “Are you going to a party and you didn’t even tell Daddy?”
“I’m going to the ball! To the big ball with the town boss.”
“The mayor?” he questions. “You got an invitation from themayor, after only knowing Minka and Aubree foroneday?” He glances to the ceiling and whistles under his breath. “Busy, busy bees, aren’t you?”
“We’re going to the ball,” Aubree snarls. “Wear a suit.”
* * *
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Fletch stands in my hall, his hands on the doorframe and his feet on the threshold so I can’t lock him out. “Arch? Are you sure? Because you already had us over last night, and now you—”
“It’s a means to an end.” Slowly, I inch the door shut a little more. Then a little more. “Go take care of Jada. Get her into that retreat. She can’t do it on her own, and you can’t do it while Moo watches. I’ll keep an eye on Mia, we’ll watch a murder mystery and see if she’s got the samewhodunnitgenes as her Daddy, then you’ll come get her, and life will be sweet.”
“Assuming Jada just goes,” he drawls. “Like, without complaint and totally fuckin’ chill. And we all know she’s super chill.”
My lips quirk up at the side. “Hence the reason you can’t do it in front of Moo. We’re gonna be fine, she’ll probably be out cold by the time you’re done. Tomorrow’s a brand-new day, so start it off right by getting all your shit in a row. After that, we only have a couple more days of juggling, then the sexy new nanny will make everything all better.”
He chokes out a laugh. “So I’m hiring based on looks?”
“You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t.”
