“So that’s why I want a sibling for her,” I said. “She wants one, and I’ve always wanted another child anyway. It would cure her loneliness and fill a void for her.
“Then you’re doing it for the right reasons,” Heather said.
We were interrupted by our food coming to our table, and she pulled back. She pulled everything back. Her foot. Her hand. Her crimson color. All of it faded into the background. And I missed it. I wanted it to come back. I wanted to feel her skin on mine again. I wanted to make her gasp. Moan. Shiver in her seat. I wanted to tease those delicate calves with my toes and drag her off to the restroom.
But I kept my cool, and we kept to small talk.
The more I got to know her, the more I knew she was the one.
This was the woman I wanted to have my child.
But I was seriously starting to question if having her child would be enough at this point.
CHAPTER 8
HEATHER
It has been a day since our dinner and I couldn't stop thinking about Andrew, his demeanor, and the comfort I felt around him.
Then there was the way electricity shot through my body whenever he looked at me. It left me breathless and confused all at the same time.
Our business agreement left no room for the physical attraction I had– yet it was undeniable.
I was so glad he opened up to me about his past. His story made my heart ache.
Knowing he and his daughter were left behind by some money-hungry ex made me hurt for them and made me want to help him more. That dinner only served to solidify the decision I was making.
But how was this supposed to work when I was so madly attracted to my “Provider”?
Thinking about it made my skin break out into goosebumps. Remembering the sincerity in his voice whenever he thanked me made me smile.
I’d have to call Nikki and tell her all about it.
Another thing that stood out vividly from the date was the fact we hadn’t negotiated one single thing about our contract over dinner. I wasn’t too worried about it because I knew we’d eventually get to that point in the process.
The bell above my door rang, and I came out from my kitchen. When I saw him, my heart stopped. I looked at the girl bouncing behind him, all ringlet curls of dark hair and emerald eyes just like his. Andrew’s daughter looked just like him.
“Welcome to Heather’s Bake Shop,” I said. “How can I help you?”
“Daddy said you have cin-na-non rolls,” Rebecca said.
I leaned over the counter, trying not to giggle at her pronunciation, and gazed down at the cutest little girl I’d ever seen. Her curls tumbled to her shoulders, and her eyes sparkled like her father’s. She had these rosy red apple cheeks and a broad smile that matched Andrew’s. She even had his strong chin and jawline.
“I have a very special cinnamon roll for you,” I said.
She gasped in the same way I did as a child visiting the bakery shop, and it filled my world with a joy so unspeakable, it made my chest almost burst. I walked into the back room and pulled a freshly-made cinnamon roll off the tray. I slathered it with icing, grabbed the array of sprinkles I had, and brought it all out to the front, and I watched as Andrew hoisted his daughter up so she could sit on the counter.
Usually, I did
n’t let kids sit up there, but I didn’t mind making an exception.
“So, which sprinkles do you want on top?” I asked.
“I get sprinkles?” Rebecca asked as she clapped.
“Oh, yes. Special girls get special sprinkles. So, which would you like?”
She pointed to the green container, and I shook a generous portion on top of the hot icing. I grabbed her a fork and she began to eat it right there on the counter since I didn’t have any seating on the inside of my place. Andrew’s eyes took in the room. Nerves about his first impression of the place made my hands shake a little.