Kamryn grinned at her then turned her grin to me.

I grinned back.

“Candy, Miss Carissa gave me flowers. Do you want to help your Momma Heely put them in water?” Mrs. Heely asked a pretty little girl who was sitting on an armchair wearing a pretty little dress and swinging her legs.

She didn’t hesitate to hop right off the chair and push her way through bodies to Mrs. Heely.

When she got close, she grabbed the woman’s hand.

Apparently, that was her answer.

They got to the doorway of the kitchen before, shyly, little Candy turned back and called, “Like your hair, Mister Carson.”

“Thanks, doll,” Joker called back.

Kamryn came forward, hand up to me. “Hey there, Carissa, so nice to meet you. I’m Kam.”

Thus it began, the introductions, hand clasps, hugs, smiles, but this finished with Mrs. Heely yelling through the opening that had a view from the kitchen, “I’ve made Carson’s favorite, my pot roast. But I’ve also made brussels sprouts, and I’m saying right now, all my boys are eating them.” She pointed a tangerine rose at Joker through the opening before swinging it to Linus. “Including my big boys. Am I understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Linus answered on a grin.

“Shit,” Joker said under his breath.

“What did I just hear?” Mrs. Heely called on a snap.

“Just don’t put too much of that… stuff on my plate,” Joker called back.

“Six,” she returned.

“Two,” Joker fired back.

“Four,” she haggled.

“Two,” Joker repeated.

“Three,” she snapped.

“Deal,” Joker said.

I started giggling.

Kam giggled with me.

All my panic slid away, and I was finally good to go to give good girlfriend.

* * *

“Next, I want a Candy,” I declared somewhat tiredly, belly full of pot roast, potatoes, rolls, and brussels sprouts (which I detested but forced down five), apple crumble pie and ice cream, and with this, several glasses of wine.

After all that food and not much sleep the night before, I was ready for snuggle time with Joker and then bed (with Joker).

We were in his truck and almost home and I was in love with a little girl named Candy.

Well, I was in love with them all, but Candy was just so sweet. She said practically nothing and was shy as could be. But she also loved her daddy loads, whispered with her mother and “Momma Heely” with her hands on their necks, put up with her rambunctious brothers with a great deal of patience, and studied Joker timidly like she had a crush on him.

All of which (particularly the last) was exactly why she was so stinking sweet.

“Say again?” he asked, his hand in mine holding them at his thigh.

“A little girl,” I explained.

His hand convulsed in mine and the good company, good food, and wine-induced mood melted instantly as I realized what I’d just said.