Her whole face lights up like Christmas morning.“We can?”
“Of course, pumpkin.” I kiss her cheek and silently promise myself I’ll text Kevin, again, the moment I get downstairs.
I’ve sent him a message every week for six months. I gave him our address and told him he could come see Mia whenever he wanted to. Because I might not like him as a person, but he’s her father, and Mia deserves to have a father.
I give her a tight hug and head toward the stairs. My heart lifts when I hear her little feet trailing behind me.
Ethan is in the entry talking to his father. As soon as Mia sees him, she launches herself at him with complete trust.
“Efan!”
He catches her easily, one arm, careful of his shoulder, and spins her until she erupts in giggles.
“My favorite princess.” He kisses her cheek before settling her on his hip.
And then he looks at me.
God.
He’s in a white fitted shirt tucked into dark blue jeans, brown cowboy boots, his dark brown Stetson angled just so, and his sling is gone. But it’s the smile, the slow, devastating one, that steals my breath.
“How do you do that?” he asks, setting Mia down and walking toward me with a look that makes my pulse skip.
“What do you mean?” I ask, smoothing the front of my coat.
He takes my hand and lifts it to his lips, kissing my knuckles, sending a warm shiver all the way up my spine.“Look more beautiful every day.”
My cheeks heat.“You look handsome too, Captain.” I wink, and that earns me his signature smirk, the one that starts in his eyes before touching his mouth.
A year ago, this jumpsuit would’ve made me self-conscious, tugging at fabric and wishing I could hide. But now? Now I feel… free. Maybe I’m not everyone’s type, but the way Ethan’s gaze slowly trails down my body tells me I am exactly his. And even more important, I like how I feel in it.
“Shall we?” he asks, offering his arm.
“Oh…just a second.” I pull out my phone and type quickly.
Hi, this is Summer. Can Mia call you tomorrow? She wants to talk to her daddy. Tell me when you can? Thank you.
My stomach twists as I hit send, but I swallow the unease. This is for Mia.
“Everything okay?” Ethan asks quietly, because of course he noticed. He always notices. After a lifetime of being unseen, unheard, unimportant… this man reads me like it’s second nature.
“I’m okay,” I say softly.“I’ll tell you in the car, okay?” I glance at Mia.
He nods without hesitation, letting it be.
“Alright, pumpkin,” I say, crouching to her level.“Be a good girl for Josh and Lily, alright?”
“Oma and Opa, Mommy,” Mia corrects, proud.
I blink.“What?”
Lily walks over, cheeks flushed. She lifts Mia into her arms.“I’m sorry, Summer… she asked us if we were her grandparents, and I told her she could call us Oma and Opa. That’s what I called my own grandparents…they were Dutch. I hope you don’t mind?”
Mind? My throat tightens.
“Oh no, it’s no problem at all.” My voice shakes.“Actually… I think you’re the best Oma and Opa Mia could ever ask for.”
I pull Lily into a hug.“Thank you.”
