The girls bounced to the living room to spread the news.
Ethan heaved a breath and went back to his work.
“So you’re the man who doesn’t know if he’s dating my daughter?” Jim asked, hands on his hips at the kitchen entrance.
Silly question, if you asked Ethan, they’d already covered that bit out front.
“Em’s helping me out with a problem,” Ethan said. “Seems I have a need for a pretend girlfriend, and Em’s willing to give me a hand.”
“Well, I guess it always starts out pretend, doesn’t it?” Jim laughed.
Ethan did not.
“Leave it to our Em to find one of the only famous bachelors in Denver,” Jim said, shaking his head as he strode to where Ethan worked.
Jim was a big bloke—tall and clearly active.
“What do you mean by that?” Ethan asked. “Em doesn’t care at all about my time on the telly.”
“Em has ahistory,” Jim said, pulling his lips to the side.
“It’s different this time because it’s not real,” Em said from the little hallway between the living room and kitchen. “It’s a friend favor. That’s all.”
She’d washed up and changed her clothes.
Jim alternated his gaze between Em and Ethan. Then he snorted. “Uh-huh. That’s the line you’re goin’ with?”
“Jim.” Em’s mum followed Em into the kitchen. “If she says it’s pretend, then who are we to question it?” Patty said the correct words, but she said them as if she didn’t really believe them either.
Jim let out a disgruntled grunt.
“Have a cookie, mate.” Ethan gave the tray a nod. Raising their blood sugar couldn’t hurt, could it? “They’re Annie’s fave.”
Jim picked up a cookie, and took a chomp.
Ethan waited to hear the verdict.
Jim snagged another one.
Not that Ethan had any doubts the treats would be delicious, but it always helped to have a bit of confirmation.
“Jim!” Patty chided.
“They’re tasty,” Jim said with a mouth full of cookie. “I like this one, Em.” He jerked his thumb toward Ethan.
Was that a vote of confidence?
“Dad. Don’t get attached because he’s not permanent,” Em assured, coming in once more as the voice of reason.
“Mom, can you show Annie how you draw a duck?” Fiona blasted toward her mum. “I told her you know how.”
“I don’t have any paper.” Emmaline raised her hands like,whatcha gonna do?
“I have paper.” Ethan pulled a notepad from the drawer beside his sink. The one he kept handy to track ingredients and such.
“My duck is probably more scribbles than she’d like.” Emmaline sounded remarkably uncertain. Still, she grabbed the notepad and the pencil.
A smile tickled her lips as she drew what he supposed would be the feet.
