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I give her the moment she needs to work out the thoughts floating around in her head, and when she finally looks back up at me with hope in her eyes, she tears me apart. “Are you going to be my mommy?”
Oh shit.
How the hell am I going to answer this without tearing her heart open? Sean walks into the room and sits at the edge of the bed, his hand resting on her little foot. He glances at me, and I can tell he’s about to answer, but I shake my head, hoping he’s okay with me taking the lead on this one.
Reaching across to Georgie’s bedside table, I take the photo of Sara and hold it above us so she can see it perfectly. “I wish I was lucky enough to be your mommy because you’re the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever met. But you already have a mommy and even though she doesn’t get to be here, I bet she wouldn’t be too happy with me if I stole you away.”
Georgie shakes her head and her bottom lip pouts out. “Is this your mommy in the picture?” I ask.
“Uh-huh,” she says, reaching up and taking the picture out of my hands. “Daddy says she’s my mommy, but I don’t know her.”
“I know, sweetie, but I bet she knows you,” I tell her. “I think she looks down on you every single day to make sure you’re safe and happy.”
“Wreally?”
“Yeah, Georgie.”
She lets out a broken sigh, and I look up at Sean, a little unsure of what to do, and I watch as he squeezes her foot, bringing her attention to him. “What’s wrong, baby?” he asks.
She looks up at him with her heart on her sleeve and the pain in her eyes nearly kills me. “All da kids at preschool get picked up by dere mommies.”
My heart shatters, and I pull her in closer, tucking her into my chest and holding her tight as little tears appear in her eyes. The pain is clear across Sean’s face, and I desperately want to pull him in too, but I don’t dare let go of Georgie. “Would it be alright if I picked you up from preschool sometimes?” I ask.
“But you’re not my mommy,” she says.
“I know,” I tell her, my hand brushing over her hair. “But I’m going to love you like one.”
Her little face instantly brightens and a cheeky sparkle returns to her eyes. “So, I can hab anoder book?”
Sean lets out an amused sigh and rolls his eyes, realizing we just got played by a three-year-old. “What am I going to do with you, Georgie Girl?” he murmurs, grabbing another book off of her bookshelf and ordering us to scooch over. He climbs in and Georgie instantly starts giggling like she’s just gotten away with murder. She has her father wrapped around her little finger. Hell, she’s got me there too.
Sean reads her the story before she finally accepts it’s time for bed and pulls her blankets right up to her chin. He kisses her on the forehead, and after switching on the baby monitor, we make our way out of her room.
Sean takes my hand as we walk down the hallway. Right before we hit the stairs, he tugs my hand, bringing me to a stop and crowding me against the wall. He presses a soft, lingering kiss to my lips, and when he pulls back, I stare up into his eyes, completely breathless. “You’re amazing with her,” he tells me.
I smile up at him. “I can’t help it. She’s beautiful.”
“She is,” he agrees, undeniable love shining in his eyes. “Will you stay here tonight?”
“Are you sure?” I question. I mean, I’ve been here all day, the last thing I want to do is push my luck. He said he loved me this morning, but now we’re in his home with the memory of his wife. I don’t want to rush it and force him to take a step back.
His eyes soften. “I’m positive,” he tells me, sincerity in his deep tone.
“Then I’d like nothing more.”
A big cheesy smile cuts across his face, and he scoops me up into his arms and starts walking back down the hallway. And as he approaches his bedroom, a slight panic pulses through me when he walks straight past it and into one of his many spare rooms.
He lays me down on the bed and comes down on top of me, propping himself up on his elbows and caging me between them. “I’m meeting my family for lunch tomorrow. Did you want to come?”
Wow. This is a big step.
I know I’ve already met the family, but this will be meeting the family as the woman he loves, not the woman who he was roped into taking out. “I’d love to,” I murmur. “Your family is hilarious.”
