“I agree. He was trying not to smile back there.”
“See?” Sandra moved from Grace to check on Alex’s seatbelt.
Eb glanced at his daughter, who was climbing into the middle seat of the vehicle.My daughter.
“Should I take Rue in my car?” he asked.
The little girl snapped her head back to look at him, and both Grace and Alex cried, “No.”
“Why?” Sandra asked. “There’s plenty of room in the Wyndham’s car, and it’ll be more fun for the kids to ride together. You can either ride with us—in the back, since it’s too hard for Nigel to get in there—or you could follow us with your car.”
“I believe the latter would be wise. I’d like to stop at my condo first, anyway, to change my clothes.” Eb gave her the address.
“Oh, I know where it’s at. Walt and Linda live in the same complex.”
“I wondered. I thought I’d seen him driving away. She will need a booster chair.”
“They have a spare,” Sandra said, pointing to a third one.
“All right then.” He settled Rue into it and asked, “Do you need something?”
“Can I have a purple room?” She put on an adorable, pleading face. “Purple and pink are my favorite colors.”
“Yes, you may, and I know someone who paints murals. I can call him. You should think about what picture you’d like on your wall.”
“Thank you, Daddy!” Rue wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a juicy kiss on his cheek.
Her spontaneous signs of affection were quickly becoming one of his favorite things. Blinking against the stinging in his eyes, Eb hurried to his SUV. If his emotions, which he’d kept in check for years now, kept threatening to overwhelm him like this, he was going to embarrass himself.
As Eb followed the Wyndham vehicle into town, he considered his condo, decorated with modern decor and almost devoid of color.Purple and pink.Well, his color scheme was about to change. Drastically. Heaven help him.
Would he be able to get her to contain her things in her room? Recalling the wide area the children had spread their toys last evening, which had required a great deal of adult encouragement to gather and put away, he thought not.
But then he remembered her childish kiss of gratitude. He wanted Rue to feel comfortable in his home—theirhome. The thought swelled his heart until it must have grown three sizes.
* * *
Eb changedand then met them at a clothing store. After visiting two of them, Nigel declared he’d had enough shopping and requested Sandra to drop him off in front of La Torta, a gourmet candy shop.
Once he’d stepped from the car, the earl bent over and gave each of the children a firm look. “Donotforget your manners.”
“Yes, Grandpapa.” Grace said the words by rote, but she wore a mischievous look in her eyes. Alex just nodded.
“I believe I will have my beard trimmed.” The earl straightened his jacket and stepped away from the car.
“What’s going on with him?” Sandra asked Eb as he took the front passenger seat.
“What do you mean?”
“Merry’s part owner of the salon across the street, and she tells him all the time she’s happy to do his hair at home.”
“It’s because he likes one of the old ladies there.” Alex pointed to the other end of the short street. “Can we go to Duckies? I don’t want to go toanotherstore.”
“May we, please?” Grace pleaded.
“Please,” Alex added.
“Please,” Rue echoed.
