by Marina Adair
“Mister?” Kylie turned those baby blues Gage’s way. “Did you hear me?”
“Yeah Tiny, I heard you.” He reached out to ruffle Kylie’s hair, but his gaze landed on Darcy—heartfelt and full of gratitude. “And I don’t know. He’s not my dog, he belongs to a friend. But I do know that he likes to play dress up.”
“I like to play dress up too!”
“I figured. So, instead of getting Fancy dressed, I brought along all of his clothes. Maybe you could help me get him ready?”
“Do you have a tutu?”
“You know what, I just might.” Gage opened his briefcase, and instead of contracts and files, it was filled with dog clothes. Feminine, frilly, couture critter wear that put Darcy’s dress to shame. “Take a look in there and see if there isn’t something you like.”
“There’s a higher chance that we’ll be here all day while she puts Fancy in each and every one that she does like,” Darcy laughed. “That Marry Poppins briefcase of yours is every little girl’s fantasy for dress up.”
“Does that apply to mothers of little girls, too?”
“What?” Darcy jerked her gaze north, away from the way his soft tee stretched across his chest.
Not that staring at his lips was any better, but that’s where her gaze hung. She’d like to think it was because he was smiling, but she had a feeling it had more to do with how kissable that smile was.
“Dress up?” he said. “Is that a mother’s fantasy too?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Actually, I would. So that next time I can bring something for you too.” His grin widened. “Just trying to be a gentleman.”
“Gentlemen bring flowers,” she said quite primly. Then she turned her attention to the reason for their picnic. “What did you find?”
“A raincoat, a hoodie, and, oh look, a snow hat.” Bubbling with excitement, she turned to Gage. “Can we stay until I try them all on Fancy?”
“I’m not in any rush,” Gage said, looking at Darcy for direction.
For a fleeting moment, it was as if they were a family enjoying a day at the park. With Kylie asking for a full day of fun, Gage looking up at her as if there was nowhere else he’d rather be, and Darcy feeling as if she wasn’t in this alone.
An expert would probably tell her it was that Gage was Kyle’s twin, but Darcy knew it was more than that. She’d never felt like Kyle was on her team. Even when they’d discovered she was pregnant, Kyle didn’t give them the kind of focus and devotion their relationship needed. He didn’t give Darcy the love she deserved.
Gage had always been different. Grounded to Kyle’s ever-changing world, favoring insightfulness over charisma. Had Gage been single when they’d met, or Darcy’s mom hadn’t only passed when she’d started dating Kyle, maybe it would have turned out differently.
But things for Kylie would be different.
“I don’t have to be back until four, so I guess it’s a fashion show day in the park,” Darcy said.
“Let’s get styling,” Gage said, taking a seat on the grass with Fancy, and bringing the suitcase with him so it would be easier on Kylie.
Heart in her throat, Darcy busied herself with setting out lunch, careful to pick a table far enough away so as not to interrupt the bonding that was transpiring over doggie fashion. After a few moments, Gage and Kylie stood over what appeared to be enough clothes to fill Kim Kardashian’s closet.
Fancy was wearing a yellow rain coat with a matching hat and galoshes. The other two sat knee to knee, the collection spread out between them.
Kylie placed a tiara on Fancy’s head. “I still don’t see a tutu.”
“Let me see if it’s at the bottom.” Gage dumped out the contents of the briefcase. A genie’s hat, mini-Ugg boots, and a Burberry coat fell to the grass. “Three different colored boas, but no tutu.”
“How about this?” Kylie asked, slipping a blue ruffled headband around Fancy’s head, unable to get it passed his neck.
“I got an idea,” he said, undoing his shoe. “Pick out one of the boas. I bet we can make it into a tutu.”
Kylie picked up each of the boas, silently debating which color would be the best. Darcy could tell she wanted the lavender one, but kept going back to the blue one, as if afraid that if she picked too girly of a color the fun day would end. Tongue peeking out, she settled on the lavender one, then handed it over to Gage.
“Excellent choice,” he said and Kylie beamed at the praise. “It matches these.”
Gage held up a pair of lavender booties, which he’d stuck on his fingers, and began moving them across the lawn. Fancy barked with excitement, and Kylie giggled so hard she fell over.
“But we still don’t got a tutu,” Kylie said, batting those lashes Gage’s way. She had his number. And, man oh man, he had hers.
“Ah, be prepared to be amazed, little lady.”
“I like it when you call me Tiny,” Kylie interrupted.
He glanced at Kylie and grinned. “Got it. But if I call you Tiny, then how about you call me Gage?”
Kylie cocked her head, her expression one of deep contemplation. “I like Mister a lot, you looked like a Mister the other day.” Kylie stood, getting eye level with Gage and took off his ball cap. She styled his hair, making more of a mess than anything, then put the hat back on. “But you don’t look like a Mister now.”
Darcy snickered and Gage sent her a sidelong look in warning. “Do I look like a Gage?”
Lips pursed in concentration, Kylie walked slowly around Gage, sizing him up, her fingers poking him in the cheek, the neck, the back of his shoulder. And when she completed the circle, she got down on her knees and put both hands on his cheeks.
Turning his head from one side to the other, she finally sat back. “You look like my daddy, but Mommy said I can’t call you that, ‘cuz only my daddy’s my daddy. She said I can call you Gage, or Uncle Gage or Mister. I got to choose.”
Emotions clouded Darcy’s eyes as she watched Gage struggle to hold it together. His throat worked hard, his breath came in sharp bursts, and his face radiated with thankfulness. “Your mom’s right, even though I look like your daddy, I’m not. He was my brother. Which makes me your uncle.”
Kylie’s arms went wide a second before she launched herself into Gage’s arms and wrapped herself around him like a monkey. “I’ve never had an uncle before.”
Gage didn’t waste a moment, scooping Kylie up into his arms and holding her tight. His eyes closed and Darcy watched him bury his head in Kylie’s hair, and she knew what he was doing.
She did it every time she needed a reminder of how wonderful life could be. He was breathing in the scent of heaven. Pure and sweet and so powerful it had the ability to wash away even the deepest aches.
“I’ve never been an uncle before, so that makes us a perfect pair.” Gage looked over the top of Kylie’s caramel curls and mouthed, Thank you.
“You know what?” Kylie leaned back. “Sam’s uncle buys him ice cream before dinner and even lets him get sprinkles. And one time he let Sam stay up way past bedtime to play video games, and didn’t even make him brush his teeth.”
Gage laughed, rough and low. “Well, I don’t know about all of that, but I can show you how to make a tutu out of a boa and a shoelace. In fact, one shoelace and Fancy will be twirling around the lawn like a prima ballerina.”
He loosened one from his shoe, then waited for Kylie to pull it out, making a slithering sound when she did. Kylie, completely smitten at this point, giggled as he wove it through the seam of the boa, gathering it as he went. In a matter of seconds, he’d transformed the boa into a big, fluffy tutu. And himself from estranged uncle to Kylie’s own personal hero.
“How’s that?” he asked.
“Perfect!” she shrieked, looking wide eyed at Gage as if he’d announced he’d invented cake. “Isn’t it perfect, Mommy? We did it!”
Gage looked up and gave a boyish smile, so similar to Kyle’s her pulse galloped. But
instead of that smile telling her he had it, Gage’s grin was asking her how he was doing. That he was trying to earn her trust spoke volumes, that he was being so patient and gentle with Kylie brought tears to her eyes.
“Perfect,” she said, because she couldn’t think of a better word.
His gaze locked on hers, so intense, yet so gentle she found herself holding her breath. Being on the receiving end of that kind of focus was overwhelming, exciting even. She felt as though he was seeing every inch of the real her, taking in the reality of what their life was like—and he was drawn in.
“Pretty dang perfect,” he said, and although Darcy told herself he was talking about his time with Kylie, she couldn’t help but notice that his focus had dropped to her lips.
Looking away before the heat covered her cheeks, Darcy went back to setting up lunch, ignoring the tingling in her stomach. She hadn’t tingled since Kyle. And to tingle now, like this, over his twin, didn’t seem right.
But when she looked back over her shoulder again, and watched Gage lift Kylie on his lap to demonstrated how to tie a knot, she decided not to ignore the tingles. At least for today. Because this is what she wanted for Kylie. This moment, right here.
Laughter. Family. Connection.
Happiness.
And no matter how hard it got, she would do anything to keep her kid as happy as she was right then.
And what about your happiness, her heart whispered, because Kylie wasn’t the only one who was in danger of becoming smitten.
❀❀❀
Gage sat in his car and watched Darcy’s taillights disappear down the street, and he wished Darcy had slowed down long enough for them to say more than a few passing words. Not that he’d minded watching her flit around in that dress.
Closing his eyes, he could still picture it. Cream, with light pink flowers that matched her lips, the soft fabric rippling against her body when she moved. He could especially picture the way it had flirted around her knees when she sat—never next to him, but as far away as the table would allow.
It was if she’d been on the periphery of the afternoon, watching and observing, but never engaging. Oh, she’d been there for Kylie, attentive and open, but had kept him at a distance. He’d caught her watching him from afar a few times, but before he could wave her over, she’d go back to writing in her journal.
She’d given him everything he’d wanted today to be—but nothing of herself. And that left him wanting.
For the past week, he’d been looking forward to today, even avoided contact as not to give Darcy an opportunity to cancel. And while he appreciated the time alone to get to know Kylie, he wanted to get to know Darcy again.
Strangely enough, seeing her in the mother role hadn’t been the visual confirmation to back the fuck off that he’d hoped it would be. Instead, he was completely captivated. Watching her with Kylie, the way she confidently ran her business, only confirmed that she had grown into the incredible woman he knew she would.
What was wrong with Kyle that he let her get away? And how could he, knowing what his future held, throw it all away on a drinking induced tantrum? Women like Darcy came along once in a lifetime, and he’d bet no one had ever told her that.
And now she was heading home, for a wedding consultation, and he hadn’t even had the chance to tell her how impressed he was with her. What a great mom she was, and how she’d managed to raise one hell of a great kid.
Sliding his leather jacket on, he transformed from Uncle Gage back into, what had Darcy called it?
Oh yeah, the smooth talking negotiations expert.
“Thanks for taking one for the team,” he said to his passenger, who looked like he deserved a stage name—and he wasn’t talking Broadway. “And extra treats for not going for a doggie high five to the crotch. Your restraint was impressive.”
“Yip!”
Gage stuck his fist out and Fancy nose bumped it. Window cracked, he started the car and he and the Dog Wonder-ful headed up Main Street. Fresh air blew through the car, bring with it the scent of earthy pine and summer days at his dad’s cabin.
A quieting peace from the day settled over him as he wound through streets that were older than the city, columned brick houses and bright-colored Victorians that spoke of another era flying past. Fancy leaned against the door, his head stuck out the window, his ears blowing back as he too enjoyed the leisurely drive up West Hills.
Gage wasn’t in any hurry, he had plenty of time before his meeting started, so he stared out the window and replayed the moment when Kylie had called him Uncle Gage. Over and over until his smile was so big he was sure he looked like a fool. Not that he cared. Uncles were allowed to make fools of themselves.
Something he reminded himself of moments later, when he saw the familiar brick driveway and pulled in, reaching the end of the road and parking next to the cottage—just as Darcy was rushing out of her house and across the rose garden.
She’d changed her clothes. Gone was the cute summer dress from earlier that was soft, hit above the knees, and clung to the right places. In its place was one of those power dresses she favored so much. This one was navy blue on the bottom, hugging those legs and hips, white up top, cinched with a belt in the middle to show off her tiny waist. And don’t even get him started on the buttons. They began at the neckline and went all way down the front.
And she left the top two undone enough that when she reached the driveway and leaned down to see who was in the car, he got enough of a view of white lace and creamy cleavage to have him manning up below the belt.
But when he saw the pink tint on her nose from a day in the sun, and her hair, which had blown loose from those up-dos she wore, he knew he was toast. He wanted her—more than was safe.
She was staring at him, too—squinting to be exact— as if she could get her eyes narrow enough he’d morph into anyone other than him.
Gage hopped out of the car, Stephanie’s wedding book in hand, and smiled. “I’m a few minutes early.”
“I would ask what you’re doing here,” she said tartly. “But that seems to be a redundant question at this point.”
“I’m here for our new client appointment.” He handed her Rhett’s signed contract.
“Rhett and Stephanie are my new clients. Not you.”
“Rhett is out of town.” He leaned in, close enough to see the pulse in her neck beat. “Where’s Kylie?”
“Taking a nap. She was having too much fun, and skipped her afternoon nap to play doggie dress up at the park.”
“I heard she was with her uncle.” Gage straightened and leaned his hip against the front of his car. “Guy must be a total douche for letting her miss naptime. I hope he at least said thank you.”
She didn’t smile, but her lips twitched at the corners and her eyes lit with humor. “I’m sorry Rhett will miss this, but Stephanie will be here in a few minutes, and I need to get prepared.”
“Stephanie’s not coming.” And neither was Kylie, which meant they were alone. “And you look more than ready.”
She dusted her hands down the front of her dress, then reached for her hair. “I look like a mommy who spent the day at a windy park chasing a dog.”
Gage reached out slowly, giving her time to step away. When she didn’t, he tucked a strand of hair that had escaped behind her ear. “You look beautiful.”
His voice fell to a whisper because touching her skin made it difficult to breathe. He hadn’t touched her like this since before Kyle had made his intentions clear. He forgot how smooth she felt, how soft.
“Thank you.” He let his hand slowly fall away. “For raising an amazing kid, for giving me today, and for letting her miss her naptime. What you’ve created here is special.” Gage looked to the quaint cottage, with the flower pots in the window and the makeshift dance barre on the porch. “It’s magical.”
“You were great with her. And Kylie deserves a little magic in her world.”
“So do you.”
An uncertain e
xpression played on her face, and he could tell that she wanted to believe him, but was gun shy. After her childhood, then his family, her hesitation was understandable. Yet, it still rubbed him wrong that trust was still such a foreign concept for her.
“So you came here to say thanks?” she asked, taking a cautious step back.
“I came here to tell you that Stephanie doesn’t get back until Monday, and she asked me to deliver the contract and this.” He held up the four-inch binder that was comprehensive enough to plan an Inaugural Ball at the White House, and heavy enough to double as a weapon. Leaving out the part where he’d known since before their last meeting that Stephanie would be unavailable today.
“You could have told me that at the park,” she called his bluff.
“I could have, but it would break rule number one, mixing business with family.”
A trembling laughed escaped. “The dog. The park. That.” She pointed to the binder. “You listened.”
“I listen to everything you say,” he said, wondering how many times she’d gone unheard. By the look on her face, he didn’t even want to guess. It would ruin his good mood.
“Thank you.”
“You have a big enough heart to give me a second chance. I’m not going to blow this.”
He’d gone to the park with the intention of being the spokesperson for his family. But after two seconds with these two ladies, Gage knew he was in deep.
He’d somehow gone from being the defender of the Eastons to the protector of the Kincaids. Which left him torn between two families—both with different agendas.
“And you drove all this way to make sure they were kept separate?”
“Yup. I’d drive to New York and back if it meant seeing you smile like that.”
“New York is a long drive for a smile.” Her lips tilted up even more, shy like, as if she were liking the banter.
“That’s some smile.” His eyes fell to her lips, full and glossy, and damn near perfect. “And when it’s aimed at me, I end up saying things that I shouldn’t.”
“Who said I was aiming it at you? Maybe I was just smiling and you happened to step in front of me.”