Three Makes a Family--A Clean Romance Cari Webb (short books for teens txt) 📖

“She’s asleep.” Molly watched him.

“What if she woke up?” And was scared. No one so little and so very innocent should be afraid. Not even for a minute. If he could protect Hazel, he wanted to.

“I’d have heard her.” Molly released the tape and removed the cover from the first box. “She likes to announce herself when she wakes up.”

“Still, she could be lying there awake with nothing to do.” He knew that feeling all too well. He walked toward Hazel’s alcove. His voice deepened into a whisper. “It’s only her third night here.”

Charges had been levied against him more than a week ago and he still hadn’t found his balance. Except with Molly.

Drew peered at Hazel. She’d turned over onto her stomach, pressed her left cheek into the mattress and tucked her knees underneath her. The little girl had turned her pseudo-yoga pose into the most comfortable-looking sleeping position ever. Drew pressed his fingers against her neck, checking to make sure she wasn’t too cold or too hot. Molly and Ella had already lectured him about the no blankets in the crib rule. Hazel looked small, fragile and entirely peaceful in the otherwise empty crib.

He watched the lamp swirl soft glowing stars across the ceiling. Shooting stars in a slow-motion arc down the wall. The background faded from pale pink to pale blue to pale lavender. Every color change quieted Drew, evening out his own pulse. Calm. Hazel and her tiny nook gave him that. He wanted to linger.

But the rustling in the kitchen could not be ignored.

Somewhere between the kitchen and Hazel’s nook, the tiniest hint of hope looped around him. Hope that Molly might uncover something. Yet he was afraid to grab on to that thread, only to have it unravel in his hand.

Back in the kitchen, the open box on the floor revealed the titles of various law books, from a law dictionary to a thick volume on courtroom etiquette. Molly sorted through the files. Restless, Drew walked into the kitchen and started to load the plates and wine glasses from earlier into the dishwasher.

“I knew it.” Accusation dusted the amusement in Molly’s voice.

Uncertain, Drew practically croaked, his voice was hoarse and dry, “What?”

“That you would have candy.” Molly held up the apothecary-style candy jar. Empty candy wrappers filled the glass container. “You always liked those butterscotch candies.”

“Still do.” Drew dried his hands and reached for the candy jar, lifted off the top and sorted through the empty wrappers. He’d always had two things in his office: a full candy jar and a robust supply of pencils. “I always work more efficiently with butterscotch.”

“Duly noted.” Molly laughed. She peeled the tape off another item, unrolled the wrapping and revealed an oversized coffee mug.

“Best Uncle in the Universe,” Drew read the inscription and grinned. Ella hadn’t wanted to wait for Christmas morning to give Drew his present. He’d been the only one in the family allowed to open his gift two days early. “Christmas present from Ella. She made me promise to use it.”

“So, you brought it to work.” Molly tipped the mug toward him. “Have you started drinking coffee then?”

He shook his head, wanting to shake away his satisfaction that she remembered something inconsequential about him. He remembered so much about her. Too much. “I set my coffee mug on a bookshelf in my office to keep it safe. Ella also gave me skeleton-shaped flash drives that year.”

“Skeleton,” Molly repeated.

“Ella picked them out.” Drew smiled and shrugged one shoulder. The skeletons were squat and comical. Whenever he had used one, clients and coworkers had laughed, and then he’d been given an opening to talk about his favorite niece. Bringing Ella into his workday always relieved the tension.

Much like Hazel had been doing for him recently. He backed away from that thought. Hazel wasn’t his family. Or his kid. She belonged to Molly, his attorney. And he wasn’t about to get attached to either one. He hadn’t been cleared and there was still a substantial risk for Molly and Hazel.

Besides, once he got his life back, his career would come first. It always had. “Thanks to Ella, I always know which flash drives are mine. It was sort of genius on her part.”

“I’m going to ask her for a flash drive recommendation for myself. I like the way she thinks.” Molly walked into the family room and placed the candy jar and mug on the coffee table. “I’ll put these back in the box after I finish sorting through your files and paperwork.”

Drew fiddled with the child lock on the cabinet door. Finally he succeeded, opened the cabinet and found the dishwasher pods.

“Before you start the dishwasher, add these please.” Molly picked up one of the soft-sided packages. “I ordered more baby spoons and forks in fun colors. They can go on the top rack.”

She opened the soft-sided envelope and frowned. One shake and a red-and-black flash drive dropped onto the counter. Drew closed the cabinet door and stepped closer to Molly. “What is that?”

“I have no idea.” Molly reached inside the envelope, pulled out a folded piece of paper and read out loud. “I kept this for insurance to protect my daughter. Drew needs it more. Please don’t contact me again.”

Drew reached for the paper. That hint of hope spread through him, but he cautioned himself. Hope could prove to be disappointing. “Gina?”

“No return address. And she didn’t sign the note.” Molly checked the envelope, then picked up the flash drive. “But it’s from Gina.”

Molly went into her bedroom and returned with her laptop. She sat on the couch and opened her laptop on the coffee table.

He sat beside her, close enough that his thigh connected with hers as if Molly were that thread of hope he needed.

She logged in and inserted the flash drive into her computer. Glancing at Drew, she said, “Ready to find out exactly what Gina sent us.”

Drew leaned forward, propped his elbows on his knees and steepled