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Three
Kinsley
“Wait right here,” Bennett instructs me as he drops me onto a comfortable sofa. Like I’m in any condition to do anything else but sit here and wait as he marches out of the living room without answering my question.
Who’s Rynn?
And why the hell is Bennett still so damn good-looking?
I’m in his house. The house. The one that would’ve been ou— Stoppit. Going down that road is not going to help anything.
Especially with a Rynn around.
A line cracks down my heart and it’s separated into two.
I bet she’s gorgeous, and funny, and perfect, and I bet they have a lot in common. I wonder if she chose those buffalo-plaid rugs and this array of mismatched throw pillows that somehow…match. I wonder if she’s blonde or brunette or a redhead. Rynn. It’s a pretty name, it sounds so whimsical. Old and new at the same time.
Before I can torture my poor heart some more, I see little, reddish-brown curls bouncing into the living room, her hand fettered in Bennett’s much bigger, much stronger-looking one. My eyes spring from the little girl to the man I almost married, and would have been married to still.
He’s a dad.
“Rynn,” Bennett offers gently, recovering from his almost heart attack a moment ago. Protective dad. “Meet Kinsley. Kinsley, this is Rynn.”
“I went pee in the potty all by myself!” Rynn squeals out, by way of greeting.
“Very proud of you, honey,” Bennett says, an amused smirk.
“H-hi,” I stutter, my voice coming out faint. The effort of saying just that word makes my head get all spinny again.
“Easy, eeeasy,” Bennett coos, almost as if to the both of us girls. “Kins had a bit of a…spell, outside. Rynn, you remember how we were able to cool off Bim and Ben?”
Bim and Ben?
Dr. Suess?
Oh my gosh, he even reads her Dr. Suess. This whole thing is almost too cute. My insides get all warm and squishy before it hits me: Rynn has a dad who is Bennett. She must have a mom, too.
Where’s Mom?
“Ice!” squeals Rynn.
“Cold water,” Bennett says. “Can you get some?”
“And then I can has juice?” The little girl’s hazel eyes brighten.
“A sip. And then bedtime.” He mouths to me, ‘Be right back,’ and a moment later they both return with a glass of ice water and a cool rag that Bennett places against my forehead.
“She all better?” Rynn whispers to Bennett.
“All better,” I answer for myself, smiling at them for good measure. I do feel better. Being here…with these two…I feel. I feel.
I feel—All better.
“Thank you,” I say to both, softly.
“Welcomes!” Rynn chirps.
“It’s nine thirty, honey.” Bennett looks at her. “Well past your bedtime.”
