“We need to make this good for Jade,” he murmured as he straightened.
She gave him a startled look, then closed the door behind him. What was he up to?
But Stephen was already looking down at his daughter. He smiled. “Hello, Jade.”
Jade edged closer to her, and Megan put a comforting arm behind her.
“Hi,” Jade said hesitantly.
Megan realized with a start that Jade was uncharacteristically shy. Apparently, it was one thing to enthusiastically point out a stranger—as Jade had done when Stephen had appeared in their backyard on Saturday—and another to welcome someone more permanent.
Megan prayed again or all their sakes that tonight went well.
Stephen held out the baby doll, which was dressed in pink and purple and wore a headband. “I have a present for you. This is Abby, and she’s looking for a home.”
Jade eyed the doll, then looked back at Stephen.
Megan saw a flicker of uncertainty in Stephen’s eyes, and her heart went out to him. He was clearly lost.
“Stephen bought a gift for you, isn’t that nice?” she said to Jade.
They’d agreed Jade would call him Stephen until she got used to him in her life.
Jade stepped forward, then took the doll and hugged it to her. “Thank you.”
Megan watched as Stephen’s eyes went to her again. “And these are for you.”
The bouquet that he held out to her contained lilies mixed with lavender. Her favorite. He’d sent the flowers to her when they’d dated, and he’d remembered still.
“Thank you.”
Their hands brushed over the flowers, and a sizzle went through her. And though her mind flashed danger, her heart beat rapidly.
She steadied herself. “Why don’t we go into the living room? Dinner is almost ready. Would you like anything to drink, Stephen?”
“A beer would be great.”
Jade was already playing with her doll, and Stephen planted himself halfway between the kitchen and where the little girl sat.
Megan felt a small smile rise to her lips. Big, bad Stephen Garrison was in unfamiliar territory, rendered helpless by a three-year-old.
She could see the headline: Playboy Beaten by Child’s Play.
When she came out with Stephen’s beer, she noticed Jade looking at him from the corner of her eyes.
The little girl stood, then blurted, “Would you like to see my toys?”
She watched the play of emotions on Stephen’s face, before he responded casually, “Sure. Let’s see what you got, kid.”
Her heart constricted as she watched Stephen follow Jade, and a variety of emotions swept over her.
Finally, she headed back to the kitchen. She had chicken Kiev in the oven and potatoes and broccoli on the stove.
Dinner would be a far cry from what Stephen was used to at Miami’s top-tier restaurants, including the ones within the Garrison Grand itself. She had to give a nod to kid fare, but she reminded herself that Stephen was better off finding out sooner rather than later what parenthood was about. He was determined to come into her life and Jade’s, and she wasn’t going to sugarcoat it for him.
When she’d gotten everything on the table, she went to find them—the most important person in her life, and the one around whom her world had revolved four years ago.
She located them in Jade’s room.
“…and this is Holly, and that’s Caroline,” her daughter said.
Megan watched as Stephen nodded. “Quite a crowd.”
Jade had all her dolls and stuffed animals lined up, and apparently had been introducing them all to Stephen.
“Dinner’s ready,” Megan heard herself say.
Stephen and Jade both turned to her.
“But, Mommy, I still need to introduce my dolls!”
“Later, sweetie.”
Stephen winked. “I promise I’ll come back after dinner, pumpkin.”
Jade pulled a face but trudged in the direction of the kitchen.
Pumpkin?
It was a big turnaround from where Stephen and
Jade had been a mere thirty minutes ago, and Megan was reminded again of the fact that a three-year-old’s worldview could do a one-eighty in a minute.
She watched Jade leave, then looked back at Stephen. “Quick work there.”
He gave her a lazy smile. “Charm upsets you?”
She forced herself to shrug indifferently. “Your legendary charm. Why should I be surprised?”
“Afraid you’ll fall under it again?” he challenged.
“I’ve been inoculated for life.”
He chuckled as he sauntered toward her. “Don’t worry. I leave my best for someone…special.”
She sucked in a breath, but he didn’t try to steal a kiss or make a pass.
Instead, he walked out of the room and followed Jade’s lead.
She expelled the breath she was holding, then followed him out.
In the house’s little dining area, she saw Stephen eyeing the floral display in the center of the table.
She’d set his bouquet there in a clear glass vase.
“Very nice,” he commented, “if I do say so myself.”
“I put them there so we wouldn’t have to stare at each other across the table through dinner,” she muttered in a low voice as she went past.
He had the audacity to laugh, which just sent a shiver through her because she remembered how much she’d always liked his laugh.
She felt his arm snake around her, and he gave her a quick kiss on the neck. “Glad you like them so much.”
“You know flowers that stand for devotion are my favorite,” she retorted.
At dinner, Jade kept up a steady stream of conversation with Stephen. She seemed openly curious about him now.
He handled her questions well, simplifying but never talking down to her, and it was clear that though he was still feeling his way, he was gaining confidence with every passing second.
Megan watched the interaction and thought they could all be any family having dinner together. Except this was a pretend family with an upcoming sham marriage.
Seven
So far, Stephen thought, things were working out as he’d planned.
Jade was warming to him, and while he had further to go with Megan, he knew at least that she was far from being immune to him.
“Want to see the rest of my dolls?” Jade piped up as soon as dinner was over.
“Sure.”
Jade’s face lit up. She ran around the table to grab his hand and tug him forward as he stood.
“Jade, we don’t drag guests around like toys,” Megan warned. “Stephen isn’t Barney.”
“Yes, Mommy,” Jade responded without looking at her mother.
Stephen felt a smile pull at his lips.