“She worked for her spending money. Even for her tickets to the rides. She weeded the garden, kept her room clean. I want her to enjoy spending what she earned and I want her to understand how far her money will go. And I want her to know that if she can’t have something because she doesn’t have the money, that’s okay, too.”
It made sense to him. He didn’t like it, but he understood. “I understand, I do. But you have to understand that there is going to be a bit of spoiling going on in the near future and yours isn’t the final say.”
“And yours is?” Her tone wasn’t confrontational.
Or at least he didn’t think it was. The T-shirt she wore clung much too tightly to her breasts for him to think clearly. “No, we’ll have to compromise.”
“So neither one of us will get our way is what you’re saying.”
“Basically.”
She laughed. “I guess I can live with that. So, do you mind riding to Frogfest in Bill?” She pointed to her tiny, aged Kia.
“Are we taking the KiaPet? I wanted to ride with Daddy,” Amanda Jane said without any hint of a pout in her voice.
“Daddy is riding in the KiaPet, too.”
Daddy.
They meant him. He was Daddy.
That was still quite something for him to wrap his head around. There was so much hope and expectation wrapped up in that one word. Not just Amanda Jane’s, but his own. He’d never expected to wear that title and now that it was his, he didn’t want to screw it up. He didn’t want to be anything like his father. Or Gina’s father. He had this fey vision of himself that he knew wasn’t real. Couldn’t be. No one could be all the things he wanted to be.
“Aren’t you?” Gina prompted.
“Yeah.” He nodded and followed her to the car. He’d worry about fixing his later. It’d give him an excuse to spend more time with them—if he needed one.
Bless you, Bostwick, he thought to himself. He’d given his life for a good cause.
With Amanda Jane buckled in her car seat in the back, and all of Gina’s bags loaded into the trunk, they headed toward Riverfront Park and Frogfest.
The whole town had come out for the festivities as they always did with every fair or festival. At the first strains of the carousel music, Amanda Jane’s energy was practically frenetic. Or maybe that was Reed himself? He suddenly found that being here with Amanda Jane brought back all of his childhood joy at the prospect of Frogfest. The park had been closed off and the entry gate had been made up to look like a giant bullfrog head.
Activities had been divided up into things for older kids, like the octopus ride, and the ball pit and inflatables were for younger kids.
“She’ll bounce in the inflatable for a good hour and a half.” Gina smiled.
Then, he saw the kissing booth.
That brought back a lot of memories.
Crystal, Amanda Jane’s mother and Gina’s sister, had worked the booth one Frogfest and it had been the first time he’d kissed her. So many memories in this place.
Gina followed his gaze and said, “Oh, lord. Look who’s behind the booth.”
It was Gina’s lawyer, Emma. She headed over to the booth, laughing as she went. “What are you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I lost a bet.” She scowled, obviously unhappy to be there.
“That’s not a very kissable expression on your face.” Reed threw in his two cents. It wasn’t just unkissable, she looked downright hostile.
“It’s not supposed to be. If I don’t look kissable, no one will kiss me, right?”
“Isn’t this to raise money for the hospital auxiliary?” he asked.
“Yes, and they can damn well get someone else if they want to make any money.”
The jar was abysmally empty. Reed dug a five out of his wallet and stuffed it in the jar.
“Buddy, I hope you’re paying me not to kiss you.” Then her eyes narrowed. “Gina can handle my light work.”
He looked at Gina and her eyes had widened so far that she looked like a small animal in the glare of an oncoming truck.
If she’d been any other girl but Gina Townsend, he would’ve taken her up on Emma’s offer and kissed her senseless. Because he didn’t care about kissing any other girl but Gina. But he wanted to kiss Gina more than he was comfortable admitting.
“I paid you, Frog Lady.”
“I hope you don’t think I’ll turn into a princess.”
He smirked, but instead of kissing her grudgingly proffered cheek, he took her hand and kissed it like a gentleman from days of yore.
Emma blushed, all of her prickly demeanor gone. “You, sir, are dangerous.”
“No, no, no. That’s all wrong,” Amanda Jane said. She pointed at Reed and then at Gina. “You are supposed to kiss her. And she will turn into a princess. I know these things. Grammie told me.”
Gina was the first to respond. “Nope. I’ve got both my shoes.”
“You’re confusing fairy tales again, Gina-bee.” Amanda Jane didn’t seem amused. “Do it correctly, please.”
He loved that she was like a mini-adult. She was so polite, but knew exactly what she wanted and how things were to be done. She would find that frustrating as she grew up, but it would also serve her well. She reminded Reed a lot of what Gina had been like as a child. She’d had this amazing intellect that had been completely wasted on those around her. Even him.
“Correctly? I’m too old to be a princess. You, on the other hand, are just right.”
“She can be queen and me the princess?” She seemed to consider the scenario for a minute. “I suppose that could work.” Amanda Jane still sounded doubtful.
Reed knelt down and embraced her carefully, giving the child the opportunity to squirm away if she didn’t want him to hug her. Instead, she flung her thin arms around his neck and he dutifully placed a kiss on her cheek.
“I like this game.” She planted one on his cheek in return and then ran to the ball pit.
Her affection and expectation of such came so easily. He thought of all the ways people could use that against her, could hurt her. He found he couldn’t breathe.
“I know, right?” Gina said quietly. She understood.
“You’re all doing it wrong.” Gray’s voice surprised him.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were going back to the city?” Reed asked as he got to his feet.
“I had to try out this infamous Frogfest. I heard there were going to be carnival games and maybe an exhibition match of some local talent.” He shrugged. “I see everyone takes these things seriously around here.” He eyed Emma.
“If we did it wrong, maybe you should show us how it’s done?” Gina cast a sly grin at Emma.
Emma’s gaze cut to Gray so fast, Reed was sure he actually saw it slice the air. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, I more than dare. Especially since you think I wouldn’t.” He pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and stuffed it in the jar. “That’s the best reason to dare.”
“Damn,” Emma whimpered.
“You got that right.” Gray grabbed her and bent her over the back of his arm and kissed her.
Gina