Morgan blinked rapidly and turned to Fin. “Okay! Let’s get you started!”

A few minutes later, Morgan had Fin on the floor in front of her as she sat on the love seat. She listened with rapt attention as Finley told her all about the great kindergarten backpack debate.

I watched from the couch, trying to figure out what the hell I was supposed to do about wanting this woman. Hell, I hadn’t been on a second date since Claire. Hadn’t really been on a date at all.

“What if I get hungry?” Finley asked as Morgan sprayed product into her curls. It was the first time I’d heard her voice concern over going to school.

“There’s lunch time and snack time,” Morgan told her, brushing through Finley’s curls with ease. “And if you’re super hungry, just tell your teacher.”

“What if no one likes my backpack?” she asked quietly, and it took everything in my power not to answer her, because she hadn’t asked me.

“Then that’s their problem,” Morgan stated simply.

I blinked. My first impulse had been to say that everyone would love her backpack, but Morgan’s answer was way better.

Morgan threaded Fin’s curls through her fingers and wove a braid around her head.

What the hell kind of sorcery was that?

“What if they don’t like me?” Fin’s voice dropped even softer.

I leaned forward, and Morgan shot me a look that warned against speaking. My eyebrows lifted, but I stayed silent.

“Then they’re not the people you want to like you. And you already have one friend there, so you’re already starting ahead.” She flipped her hands and continued the braid up the other side of Fin’s head.

“Who?” Fin asked, sitting stiller than she ever did when I did her hair.

“Me. Just think, your first day of kindergarten will be my first as a teacher, so we’ll both be nervous. And I bet every other kid in your class has the same kind of worries you do. So if you smile big, you just might make them a little less nervous, too.”

“You’re a teacher?” Fin started to turn her head but thought better of it.

“I am. At least that’s what my college told me. I’ve never had a class of my own, though, so I guess we’ll see. I’ll be right down the hall from you in fifth grade.”

She finished the braid, winding an elastic over the end and tucking it into the start of the braid before sticking a few bobby pins through it.

“All done!”

Fin popped up and ran to the mirror, where her jaw dropped. “It’s a crown! I have a crown!” She flew back in, wrapping her arms around Morgan and smacking her cheek with a kiss. “Thank you!”