The look of adoration on his handsome face took her breath away.
It’s not real,she reminded herself again.
But what if it was?
8
ASH
Ash drove home that evening, feeling like he was in a dream.
It had been the best day ever, and that had nothing to do with the look on Libby’s face when Allie told her they were engaged.
Though Allie had gone off to admire and participate in all the activities with Maya and Timmy, he’d gotten to know plenty about her just from the interaction with her friends and neighbors.
A lady who used to work at the ice cream shop told him all about how little Allie would help her sweep up the shop even when she could barely talk. And the postman had stopped by to share that Allie helped him answer the letters to Santa Claus each year. Fellow teachers mentioned quiet favors she had done, and everyone told him he was the luckiest guy in town.
Without exception, all her colleagues and friends were incredibly welcoming and more than eager to tell him how much they adored his fiancée.
Hisfakefiancée.
Not that he hadn’t known already that Allie was special. You couldn’t spend ten minutes with her without knowing what a kind soul she was.
What he hadn’t expected was that she had such a keen sense of justice, and the quick wit to back it up.
She’s just like Maya, he thought to himself again, glancing in the rearview mirror at his daughter.
For once, Maya was completely still, her little face pressed to the glass, eyes fixed out the window and a peaceful smile tugging up her lips.
It made sense—she’d gotten plenty of fresh air and exercise today. It was just what she needed.
Hopefully, he could keep her life with him as fun, peaceful, and consistent as possible. That way if Libby flitted in and out, it wouldn’t matter so much.
But thoughts of Libby took him straight back to Allie.
And that got him thinking about Maya all over again.
Luckily, it didn’t seem like the little girl had heard anything about her father’s pretend engagement today.
And with any luck, it would be a real engagement soon, with no need for Maya to know it had ever been anything else.
But what if Maya didn’t really want this?
What if she adored Miss Lawrence as a teacher but didn’t want her as a stepmother?
He thought he’d considered everything when he decided to set his sights on Allie. But Maya was the most important person in his life, and always would be, so she needed to be on board for this to work.
And Miss Lawrence wasn’t the only thing he had to talk with her about.
As he pulled down the drive to their little house, he pondered how to start the conversation.
The trouble was that sometimes Maya could have a deep and serious conversation about surprisingly complicated things. And sometimes she was too filled with five-year-old energy to talk at all.
Hopefully tonight is a good talking night,he thought to himself.Because I’ve got to get her head around this idea before someone else brings it up.
“Would you like a snack when we get inside?” he asked as he turned off the truck’s ignition.
“Yes,”Maya said happily.
