“Isn’t that naïve? We – pursue – whatever this is between us and if things don’t work out…”
Jonny shook his head. “Every time I go into a fire I can’t think that it won’t work out. If I did that, I’d never be able to do my job. Sometimes you’ve just got to trust your gut and your instincts.”
She nodded, toyed with the sugar in the bowl. “To seeing where things go.” She held up her coffee cup for a toast.
He clinked it, grinning. “To finding out what’s under your pyjamas.”
Chapter Nine
“Five. Four. Three…”
“I’m in bed now, Daddy!” Even through her usual exuberance, Jonny could hear the tiredness in her voice. She’d been delighted that Rayah was there for the evening, even more delighted when they’d had cheesy pasta bake and chocolate pudding for dinner and then doubly over the moon when she’d been able to cuddle up with Rayah on the sofa and listen to a story that he was pretty sure Rayah made up as she went along.
“Good girl.” He walked across her room and saw her tucked up in the bed that was still too big for her even though she was outgrowing her babiness. “You need to stay in bed now and not come down. If you need me because you have a bad dream, shout me. You have water next to the bed.” He bent down and tucked the duvet and blankets tightly around her, shifting the cuddly toy owl she adored a little closer.
“Are you going to kiss Rayah again even though there’s no mistletoe?”
He smoothed her hair back from her face. It was going darker as she got older, the hint of red something she inherited from him. “Maybe.”
She looked puzzled. He would be concerned apart from it was Sadie’s favourite method of buying herself an extra five minutes before she had to go to sleep by asking ridiculous questions.
“Is it nice kissing someone?”
That he had not expected.
“As long as it’s someone you want to kiss. You should never kiss anyone you don’t want to.” No time like the present to get a lesson in.
“Do you like kissing Rayah?”
“Yes.” He had never lied to his kids. He wasn’t starting now.
“How many times have you kissed her?”
“Four.” Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and twice today. He was hoping to make it far more than five when the demon spawn had gone to sleep.
“So she likes kissing you?”
“I hope so. I think that’s why she’s let me kiss her four times. Sadie,” he squinted at his daughter. Her night light wasn’t the brightest and he needed to read her eyes. Girl couldn’t tell a lie to him. “Why did you want to know about me kissing Rayah?”
She didn’t grin like he thought she would. “I only told Unky Zack about you kissing her.”
He was surprised she hadn’t announced it in the middle of town.
“I think she likes you.”
“Why’s that, baby?” This could be an interesting response.
Sadie snuggled further under her covers. “Because she kissed you. And she’s here. I think she wants to be your girlfriend. And she likes us.”
“Maybe you’re right. But we’ll see. It’s a big deal deciding to be someone’s girlfriend.” Another lesson and the absolute truth, especially his girlfriend.
No one had ever said it, no one had ever been cruel enough to, but he’d thought it: who gets serious with a man who has three kids and no ex? It wasn’t like he’d been in the position where the kids were at the other parent’s every other week and had that ever been the situation it would’ve killed him if they were. Good friends and the community meant he managed a night away every so often, but anyone who wanted more than a hook up had to be introduced to his kids and know what it was to be part of a family like his.
“Maybe I’ll talk to Rayah about being Seb’s girlfriend.”
“Pardon?”
“Seb asked me to be his girlfriend.”
