I’d been tagged in the photograph and it had been shared… How many times? Over twenty-two thousand times. Oh, this wasn’t good. The caption was even worse.
Has singing sensation Lainey Rose found true love in the arms of a Russian Bratva prince?
My God. I was shocked my phone wasn’t blowing up.
A loud groan escaped before I had a chance to curtail it. Wine. I definitely needed more wine. I took a huge gulp, my pulse completely off the charts. I wasn’t embarrassed in the least. Why would someone use that caption? Well, since it had been someone at the party who’d started the string of shares, no wonder. They’d been involved in a freaking massacre.
But he wasn’t that way. He was brilliant and handsome. He was kind and generous. He was an amazing father and an incredible lover and…
“Are you in love with my daddy?”
Both Nina’s sudden appearance and her question threw me so off guard I spewed wine all over myself. That caused her to fall into a fit of giggles. I heard little feet running away and I stared at my lap as I tried to recover.
“I’m sorry, Lainey. Here are some napkins.”
She plopped down next to me, kicking out her feet and still giggling.
I took my time wiping my face. What was I supposed to say to her? “I haven’t known your daddy very long.”
“You’ve known him for four months and three days. That’s long enough to know if you’re in love. Emily said Alexsey fell in love within minutes of meeting her mommy.”
As I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing myself, I placed the wine on the table and sat back, twisting so I could look her in the eyes. “Really? What do you know about love?”
She shrugged, every little action dramatic just like a princess. “I know things. I am seven now. Soon, I’ll be dating.”
“Somehow, I don’t think your daddy will be happy to hear you say that. Do you have a boyfriend?”
“Ew. Not yet. All the boys my age are gross.”
The sweet angel was going to do me in. “Well, I can honestly tell you that it takes boys a very long time to grow up.”
“That’s what my aunts say. Aunt Marissa. And Aunt Bristol. And Aunt Fallon.”
While they were more like second cousins once removed, I wasn’t going to burst her happy little family bubble. “They’re right.”
“You’re deflecting.”
“I am?” I was about to fall into a fit of laughter. Sasha was going to have his hands full with this one.
“Yes, you are. You didn’t answer the question. It’s okay if you are.”
“It is?”
She nodded vehemently. “Mama wouldn’t mind.”
Tilting my head, I was fearful she’d burst into tears and I wasn’t sure if I could take that. “She wouldn’t?” I barely managed.
“She’s in heaven, you know. Daddy told me she’s an angel. I know she’d like you and do you want to know why?”
“Why?”
“Because you make Daddy happy. He’s been very sad for a long time. He doesn’t think I know. He thinks he can hide it, but he can’t. He’s not a very good actor.”
A series of flutters rolled through my heart. “That’s something else boys aren’t very good at.”
Her grin was infectious. “I think Mommy would really like you to become a part of the family.”
My hand was shaking as I reached for the wine. “I adore your daddy, Nina, but we aren’t ready to… I mean we just are getting to…”
