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“The girl has no faith in me.”
Ryan.
Cassie peeked over her daughter’s shoulder to the man approaching them. The corner of his mouth lifted, and his whiskey-brown gaze met hers, making her tipsy. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.Only fifteen more years to go, she reminded herself. In fifteen years, their daughter would be eighteen. Cassie could avoid Ryan McLeod and his too sexy for everyone’s damn good, self. Opening her eyes, she found him staring at her with his eyebrows drawn in and his head cocked.
“You okay?”
She nodded. She would be. After getting her first glimpse of Ryan, she always needed a minute or two to remember despite how sexy he was with his light brown hair and deep brown eyes, his sexy arms, one covered in tattoos and the other as clean and pure as a virgin, and his muscular, sculpted body—he wasn’t for her. He was Ellie’s father, Cassie’s parental partner, and he didn’t want her.
He closed the distance between them, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in for a hug that made Ellie squeal as they smooshed her between them. A light flashed, and Cassie jerked back. Ryan’s arm didn’t leave her shoulders.
“Sorry.” A mousy young woman in khakis and a sweater smiled at them, holding up the camera in her hand. “I’m taking pictures for the Christmas tree farm to use on their website, and well, you just looked so perfect.” She inched closer, turning the camera so they could see the digital image.
Cassie’s heart squeezed. The woman had been right – the picture was perfect. She’d captured what appeared to be a happy family, complete with laughing child, handsome dad and Christmas trees in the background.
“Wow,” Ryan whispered, his arm falling from Cassie’s shoulders as he leaned closer to the woman. “That’s beautiful.”
The photographer’s cheeks turned pink. “Well, I didn’t have to do much, you and your wife –”
“Oh, I’m not –” Cassie started, but Ryan cut her off.
“My girlsarebeautiful, aren’t they?”
The other woman nodded, a small wistful smile curving her lips. Ryan reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “Would you mind sending me a copy? I’ll be glad to pay.”
The woman looked down at the card, then back at Ryan. “Ryan McLeod.You’reRyan McLeod?”
He grinned. “You’ve heard of me?”
Oh my God.Cassie rolled her eyes. Everyone in town had heard of Ryan, and he knew it. Not only were his parents probably the wealthiest, albeit nicest, people in town, but Ryan was also the closest thing to a celebrity they had. Award-winning photographers with pictures in the most popular magazines tended to stand out in a town the size of theirs. This girl couldn’t call herself a photographer or a local, if she didn’t know Ryan.
She giggled. “I follow you on Instagram and Twitter.”
Probably one of the five followers who didn’t send Ryan nudes in hopes of being discovered and asked to model for one of his calendars or coffee table books. Or better yet, to be recommended for one of the magazines he freelanced with.
Ignoring her fangirling, he motioned toward the camera. “You’ve got a good eye. Why don’t you send some other shots along with that one, and I’ll take a look?”
She nodded too many times, too fast. “Th . . . Thank y . . . you. That would be aw . . . awesome.”
“Daddy, can we get a tree?” Ellie whined from Cassie’s arms.
Ryan glanced at them over his shoulder. “Sure thing.” He winked before turning back to the younger woman. “The boss beckons. Nice to meet you.”
“Y . . . you too.” The photographer’s eyes had gone all soft and dreamy.
Yep, she’d fallen under Ryan’s spell too. Cassie had met very few women who were immune. Sometimes she became annoyed watching women fall in love with him, but sometimes she enjoyed the company.
“Ready?” Ryan clapped his hands together as he turned to them.
Ellie wiggled out of Cassie’s arms and ran to him, sliding her tiny hand into his giant paw.
Cassie fell into step beside them. “Why do you do that?”
Ryan looked up from their daughter to her. “Do what?”
“Not correct people when they call me your wife . . . when they assume we’re a family?”
“Wearea family, Cass. Why would I make them think differently?”
