“Er, no. Not at all. While I still love your dad asa friend, he’s not my husband anymore. So I’m not, ah, harvesting babies.” Her cheeks turned pink. “When two people are in love, they plant the baby seeds together. It’s private and lovely and done to make a family.”
A family Reggie still had yet to make. But as he sat with Maggie and Emily, watching mother and daughter interact, seeing and feeling the familial bond, Reggie yearned for what they had. And it had more to do with being a part of their family than making one with someone else.
Oh man, I am starting to seriously fall, here.
“Right, Reggie?”
He realized Maggie had asked him for backup. Like he was the dad, and she was the mom, and Emily was their daughter. The fantasy refused to leave him, and all he could do was nod, telling himself to not go down this road again.
Then he looked into Maggie’s eyes, saw her appreciation and humor, and couldn’t walk away.
“I’ll never get a brother.” Emily groaned. “It’s not fair.”
“Why don’t you stop wishing for things you don’t have and love the things you do have? Frank has been staring at you for the past ten minutes. A lot of little girls would love to have a dog. You have a cute little puppy. Be thankful for that.”
“Besides, babies are stinky and yell a lot,” Reggie added. “Maybe don’t wish for trouble if you don’t have to.”
“Trouble?”
Maggie explained, “It’s a phrase. Don’t borrow trouble or wish for trouble. Basically, Reggie is saying you have a good home, an awesome mom, and a puppy. You have two amazing uncles, a new friend in Reggie, and Sherry, just to name a few things to be thankful for. Get it?”
But Emily was busy staring at Frank. “Yes, okay.” She glanced back at her mom. “May I please be excused?”
“Impeccable manners,” Reggie praised.
Emily sat up straighter.
Maggie’s lips twitched. “Yes, you may. Good job.”
Emily smiled and left, taking her plate to the sink. “Can I have a cupcake now?”
“After. That’s for dessert.”
Reggie waited for an argument. Instead, Emily nodded and left. “Come on, Frank.”
After they disappeared, he said to Maggie, “You are an awesome mom.”
“Thank you.” She beamed with pleasure. “I do a lot of things wrong, but parenting, I want to get right. And you’re pretty impressive yourself.” She reached across the table to cover his hand. “Thank you for being so kind to Emily. I know she can ask a lot of questions. And her fascination with baby seeds has been driving me to distraction.”
“I’ll bet.” He chuckled and moved his hand out from under hers, taking her hand in his. He caressed her, stroking her palm with his thumb. He hadn’t meant anything by it except to be closer to her. But her eyes widened, and he felt an answering arousal building within.
She pulled her hand back, and he reluctantly let go. He still didn’t understand how she could get to him so easily. He hadn’t even been trying to be sexual, yet he’d aroused them both.
“Sorry,” they said at the same time. And smiled.
“I, ah, I’ll clean up.” Maggie stood.
This time he didn’t offer to help, needing a moment to calm his raging body.
When he felt more himself, he joined Emily in the back, watching and playing with her while they taught Frank how to sit. Or tried to teach him. The little guy spent more time watching Emily with adoring eyes than listening.
“Oh, I forgot.” Emily darted away and returned with a dog bone wrapped in a sloppy bow. “This is for Frank. Sit, Frank.”
The dog shocked them both by sitting on command.
“Yay! He sat. He sat.” Emily gave Reggie a fierce hug before dancing around the room, which of course set the dog to yapping and darting around.
Unaccountably moved by the simple gesture of affection, Reggie did his best not to make a huge deal out of it in his mind and watched the girl and dog play together.
