Shameless (Enemies to Lovers 5)

“Are you finished with your adventure?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I breathe the word.

She glances up at Rhett and swallows hard. It looks like she’s just been told Santa isn’t real.

“What’s wrong?” I ask as worry curls in my stomach. If Danny doesn’t like me, I don’t know what I’ll do. She’s Rhett’s world.

Her bottom lip starts to tremble, and she whispers, “Daddy says it’s good to share my things with others.”

Not understanding, my eyes dart up to Rhett hoping he can help. But his eyes are glued to Danny’s face with such intensity it makes my heart stop.

This moment isn’t about me, I realize.

I look back to Danny, and patiently wait for her to continue.

Her shoulders slump, and placing her hands behind her back, she digs the toe of her glittering flats into the ground.

“Uncle Ledge is my fairy-godfather,” she whispers, “but it’s okay if I have to share him with you.”

“Oh, Danny,” I whisper when I realize Danny is sad because she thinks I’ll take Rhett from her.

I reach for her arm and pull it from behind her back. Her eyes keep jumping between my face and our hands as I uncurl her little fingers.

I reach up with my other hand, grab hold of Rhett’s hand and yank him down. He crashes into me but catches himself in time before he squashes me.

I place Rhett’s hand palm to palm against Danny’s, and the sadness in her eyes makes space for curiosity.

“See how big Rhe… ah… Uncle Ledge’s hand is?”

She nods eagerly.

I place my hand on the back of Danny’s, and whisper, “See how much space is still left of Uncle Ledge’s hand?”

“Yes,” she breathes.

“It’s the same with Uncle Ledge’s heart. You’re right in the center of it, and no matter who comes into his heart, there will always be extra space for them so you won’t have to ever share the space you have.”

A bright smile lights up her entire face.

“Phew.” Using her other hand, she wipes at the imaginary beads of sweat on her forehead. “It’s a lot of hard work to worry.”

I chuckle as I let go of her hand and sit back.

Rhett presses a kiss to Danny’s forehead. He whispers something in her ear which makes her giggle. She nods excitedly before she waits for him to walk over to where Carter and Della are standing, watching me with their daughter.

“Aunty-Princess-Anna,” Danny’s voice yanks my attention back to her. She giggles as she says, “Uncle Ledge asks if he can be your Kristoff?”

For a moment I have to wrack my memory to remember that Kristoff is Anna’s love interest in Frozen.

My eyes widen, and my mouth drops open, which only makes Danny giggle more.

“Silly,” Danny teases, “you have to say yes.”

“Yes,” the word is nothing but a burst of air, but it’s enough for Danny because she twirls around before running to Rhett, yelling at the top of her lungs, “She said yes, Uncle Ledge. You have to kiss her now.”

“You’re right, Princess,” Rhett says with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

As his long legs eat up the distance between us, Danny shouts, “Not too long. That will be gross.”