Page 46 of Night Moves
Sadie patted her hands together. “Wash.”
He started water running. Once the temperature was warm, he put some soap on her hands and lifted her over the faucet. She clapped her hands under the water, spraying herself, him, and the counter.
She giggled and did it again. And again. And he laughed with her.
“Might want to curtail the splashing a bit and finish up,” his mother said.
“Got it.” He hated to ruin Sadie’s fun, but he cupped her little hands between his and scrubbed hers and his clean then set her on the counter to dry them.
She giggled, her freckled cheeks lifting. She had a spot of water on one of them so he wiped it dry. She grabbed his hand. “Like you.”
“I…um…like you too.” He was surprised to find that he meant it.
“Sit wherever you want,” his mom said.
He scooped a damp Sadie up and went to the table.
“No booster seats.” His mom looked up from the water she was pouring. “She’ll have to sit on your lap for lunch.”
“But I don’t know—”
“She’s just a little person.” His mom set down the pitcher. “Help her if she needs it. Otherwise let her do her thing.”
Natalie looked at him. “I can take—”
“He’s got it.” His mom issued him a dare with her look, clearly deciding he needed an education in two-year-olds today.
Fine. Challenge accepted.He dropped into the chair where two plates had been set. Sadie immediately grabbed the spoon and started banging it on the plate. Did he stop her or let her have fun?
“Stop, Sadie,” Willow said. “You know Dad wouldn’t let you do that.”
Sadie immediately stopped banging, but she stuck out a trembling lower lip.
Drake grabbed a piece of bread and broke it into a few pieces and handed one to her. She shoved it into her mouth and chewed.
Crisis averted. For now. But what would she be upset about next? Was that what it was like to have a little kid? Go from one crisis to the next. If so, why did people want them?
She leaned back and smiled up at him. Ah, the smiles. That made the crisis worth it. Didn’t it?
The door opened, and Drake automatically reached for his gun, but his dad and Erik stepped inside. A deep frown erased Erik’s usual cheerful expression. Either he didn’t want to be interrupted to eat, which was a common thing with him when he was into a project, or he didn’t like what he’d discovered about Gentry.
“Everything okay?” Drake asked.
He glanced at the kids. “We’ll talk after lunch.”
Drake’s gut clenched. Tight. How could he go from the warm feeling this mini-person on his lap was giving him to thinking about a creep like Gentry? How did law enforcement officers with children do this every day? Face the horror of the world, then go home and try to live a normal life for their children?
As a single man, Drake never had an issue with it, but he was gaining a new respect for married officers with children. A new respect for his dad.
His mother came to the head of the table, a big metal ladle in her hand. “If you’ll pass your plates, I’ll dish up the stew.”
“Take Sadie’s first. I think she’s hungry.” Drake handed her plate down the line.
Natalie smiled at him, a warm approving smile, that lit something inside him far different from Sadie’s smiles. What would it be like to have children with her? Would it be like today? Working together? Splitting up the duties?
Of course they’d start with one child. Learn the ropes as they went. Not have three children right off the bat.
Wait. What if she decided to adopt these kids? No. Starting with a baby—he could perhaps see that. Think it might even be okay. But three adopted children? Um, no. That he could never do.
