“Of course. Do you like sweet or dill pickles?” he asked, gesturing at the jars.
“Sweet.”
In a short time, a yummy sandwich sat in front of her, cut diagonally. She stared at the special plate he’d placed in front of her. It was pink with scalloped edges. Divided into three sections by raised borders, it would keep everything separated.
“This is so fun! I love it,” she told him, running her finger over the edge.
“I’m so glad. Now, would you rather have potato chips and dip or carrots and ranch in the other two sections?”
“Carrots!” she answered.
In a flash, he had the other sections filled and a sippy cup of chocolate milk in front of her. When he sat next to her at the island, she picked up one of the baby vegetables and plunked it into the salad dressing.
“Dip, dip, dip,” he said to accompany her actions.
“Ranch, Daddy,” she corrected him.
He froze, making her stop to look at him. “Say it again, Little girl.”
Her face turned pink as she replayed her words in her mind. She’d called him Daddy. “Daddy?” she repeated.
Roman exploded from his chair and plucked Coco up into his arms. He twirled her around the kitchen, pressing kisses all over her face. When he stopped, she clung to him, giggling at his celebration.
“I guess you want me to call you Daddy?” she asked.
“For the rest of my life,” he answered, squeezing her tight.
“Isn’t it awfully early for you to know we’re supposed to be together?”
He grinned at her. “Damn you’re cute. I think I’ll keep you.”
Roman returned her to her seat and slid into his next to her. “Eat, Little girl. Ask any questions you have. Let’s get to know each other better.”
To her delight, the conversation between them flowed easily. Just like last night, Roman was an ideal meal companion. He asked questions and truly seemed interested in her answers. By the time the buzzer on the washing machine sounded, she had a strange feeling inside. Was that love?
“Coco, you’re worrying too much. Relax and enjoy our time together. Some things are out of our control. Our relationship is one of them. Do you feel the tie between us?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Me too. I like it a lot. Can you eat anything else?”
“No way.” The buzzer sounded again. “I should go change that load. Is it okay for me to put in a load of my scrubs?”
“Of course it is. Want to change out of these and wash all of them?” he suggested, tugging on her sleeve.
“That would be perfect. Where can I change?”
“Let’s grab your backpack and I’ll give you a tour of the house.”
He showed her the half bathroom off the kitchen before steering her with a hand on her lower back into the hallway. There was another bathroom at the end of the hallway and three guest rooms. Isolated on the other side of the family room was the massive master bedroom. Coco struggled to keep from staring at the enormous bed that dominated the room. What would making love to Roman be like?
“One more room to see, Little girl.” Roman opened a door that she had guessed was a walk-in closet, but she was very wrong.
Coco walked in to see a room painted in pink and white. There was an oversized crib on one side with the railing lowered to invite her to explore. A big toy chest sat on another wall with a bookshelf and a comfy-looking beanbag chair. Coco instantly wished to grab a book and cuddle up to read. Her gaze settled on a large dresser-like piece of furniture with a padded top, a large drawer, and open cubbies underneath. Were those diapers stacked inside one?
“How do you like your room, Little girl? Let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to change.”
“Nothing. This is incredible. I love it.”
