“You bought my daddy?” Claire asked, looking up at Sarah with such eagerness and glee. On Saturday, when Kelsey had come to visit Sawyer, Claire had been ecstatic thinking her preschool teacher was going to be her new mother. Kelsey’d been sweet and deflected, but it made me realize how eager Claire was for a mother.

Sarah leaned down and gave Claire a kind smile. Her eyes were watery with tears, and she was blinking hard to will them back. This moment would be a mental picture for me. The woman I loved—yeah, Sarah had my fucking heart—and my little girl. Together. Finally.

“I did buy him.”

Claire clapped her small hands, then gave Sarah the body-tackle hug I’d expected. Sarah looked to me as she wrapped her arms around Claire. “Yay, then you’re my new mommy!”

“Claire,” I warned. My heart skipped a beat at the possibility.

The night before, after we’d talked over the omelette, I’d checked in with Alice and let her know I was staying the night with Sarah. I didn’t usually share that I was spending the night with a woman to the Manning housekeeper/mother hen/grandmother. Hell, I’d never spent the night with a woman before. Sex, yes, but I’d never lingered.

And I sure as hell had never brought one home. Until now.

Alice must have told Claire I would be bringing someone to the ranch with me this morning.

“Claire Manning, please use your big girl manners,” I said. While I gave my words a slight bite of warning, the smile on my lips indicated I was pleased with her eagerness.

I was. I had no idea how crucial it was for Claire to like—no, love—Sarah as much as me.

Claire stepped back and tipped her chin up to look Sarah in the eye. Even though Sarah was five-foot-nothing, she had some height over my daughter.

“Hello. I’m Claire Manning. It’s nice to meet you.”

Pride swelled my chest at her good manners, even if they were a little late.

The slap of the screen door had me looking to the porch and Alice. She knew Sarah. Hell, she knew everyone in town. She put a hand on the porch rail and looked very happy by our arrival. Or at least Sarah’s.

“I’m pleased to meet you, too. I’m Sarah.”

“Are you my new mommy?” Claire asked again.

“Claire, is that a proper thing to ask someone you just met?” I asked, going over to her and ruffling her blonde hair, which this morning was pulled back into two pigtails.

“You said you were working on it, and now she’s here,” Claire said, scrunching up her face.

I blushed because those were the words I’d used on Saturday morning. I actually fucking blushed at that, but a quick glance at Sarah and I knew she was enchanted.

“I’m your new friend. How about that?” Sarah offered instead.

Claire smiled and nodded. Then her eyes widened as if she’d remembered something important. “I have puppies! I show all my friends the puppies!”