“Let’s hope our designs don’t wash away.”
The little girl frowns. “They gotta stay forever.”
“I’m sure they will. If not, we can redo them.”
Ronnie gasps and sits up straight. “Will you draw on me next?”
“Ummm…” I glance at her flawless skin. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“We should ask your dad.” Wrecking his boots is bad enough. I don’t need to kick the hornet’s nest.
Ronnie’s gaze shifts to the ink decorating my arms. “Okay, fine. But I wanna be just like you when I grow up.”
My stomach clenches and I almost drop my marker again. “No, sweetie. I’m a hot mess express. You don’t want a seat on the train. Toot, toot.” I laugh when she stares blankly at me. “But I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
She sighs and it’s a pleased sound. Her tongue pokes out from the corner of her mouth as she gets back to coloring Byron’s boot. I’m about to do the same when her voice stops me cold.
“Is this what it’s like to have a mommy? My heart is smiling.”
Mine stutters as I gawk at her. My mouth opens and closes uselessly. Words fail me for several seconds and then the truth spills free.
“I’m not sure, kiddo. My mom has never been around.”
Her wide eyes lock onto me while she absorbs this similarity that’s shared between us. Except… our situations couldn’t be more different.
I’d bet the Benson fortune that Ronnie’s mother would give anything to be here with her today. Mine abandoned me at her first opportunity. She ditched me at my sperm donor’s doorstep. He wasn’t much better. At least he had the decency to drop me off at his brother’s compound. James Keller wasn’t much of afather figure, but he kept me alive. That’s where I met Walker and the rest of my dysfunctional family.
Ronnie is looking at me expectantly. That silent plea does something to me. I have the sudden urge to hug this precious child, to shield her from the ugliness that threatens to dull the brightest sparkle. She deserves nothing but sunshine and rainbows.
As I return her unwavering focus, I realize we’re bonded at a depth I can’t fully comprehend yet.
“We’ll figure it out as we go, okay?”
Ronnie tips her head, mulling that over. Her tiny shoulders bounce after a moment. “Okay.”
And then she resumes the task of decorating her dad’s boot as if my foundation hasn’t just been cracked to its core. If she wants to accept me into her inner circle, I’m not going to stop her. But my fingers shake while I try to act normal.
I’m not sure how long we’ve been drawing in concentrated silence when heavy footsteps boom from down the hall. It’s enough time to resurrect my initial purpose. Is it immature? Yes. Did that stop me? No. As I add the final touches, devious delight tugs my lips skyward until I resemble a clown.
“Ronnie?” Byron’s voice echoes from where he’s been holed up in his office.
“Over here, Daddy!” Her giggle should set off several alarm bells. But just in case, she adds, “We have a surprise for you.”
Her father halts in his tracks once he gets a good look at what we’ve done.
His perfect angel launches to her feet, thrusting the doodled Tecovas at him like a proud artist. “Look, Daddy! We made your boots prettiful. Do you love it?”
Byron just stands there like a statue I can shamelessly admire. What can I say? The grumpy cowboy is hot, especially when he’s not talking.
“Uhhh,” he finally utters. “That’s… really something.”
“Try them on!” Ronnie grabs the other boot from me, putting them both in front of her dad.
When Byron comprehends what I wrote, his shock tightens into a glare aimed directly at my waiting grin. “Real cute.”
I get on my feet to eliminate his power position, but he still towers over me. “The big bow stretching across the back might be my favorite part.”