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

Then his case, giving her a client. And now babysitting Hazel.

Drew wouldn’t walk away from his own child. Not like Derrick had. He would most likely barter for fun toys mixed in with the educational ones. And insist a backyard required both a sandbox and a swing set. After all, he still made wishes in fountains. But Drew’s parenting skills were not involved here.

Molly would provide Hazel with the house, the playroom and the backyard. She wanted Hazel to know she could always count on Molly.

Suddenly she wanted to hold her daughter. Look into Hazel’s deep blue eyes and remind herself Hazel was the reason. Her reason for everything.

The park took only minutes to find. Drew and Hazel only seconds to locate inside the lush greenery framed on all sides by towering high-rises. Drew held Hazel and pointed at the dozen fountains spurting water toward the sky and spraying metal fish, as well as frogs and turtles swimming in the extensive pool.

His head was tipped toward Hazel’s as if, even in garbled babbles, Hazel shared the most important secret ever. As if Hazel mattered.

Molly wanted to run to the pair and step straight into Drew’s embrace. To be held with the same protective tenderness. To believe she was wanted. That she made a difference in someone’s life not because she could represent them successfully in a courtroom, but because she was valued as a person. As a partner in their life. She wanted to know she wasn’t so easy to walk away from.

She forced herself to slow her steps. Center herself and her focus. Drew was not her partner in life. His arms were not the ones she wanted wrapped around her. Besides, her life was full. All she needed was her daughter. As for that loneliness, she’d always filled that with work. She just had to work harder now.

As for that pang inside her—the hollow, empty one inside her chest—it would dull and fade in time.

Finally the fountain was in front of her. She reached for the bag of pennies resting on the river rock ledge rather than her daughter. Too afraid she’d reach for Drew, as well. She pressed a kiss on Hazel’s sticky cheek.

“I lost the wipes somewhere between the ice-cream stand and First Street,” Drew confessed. “I thought about dipping my fingers in the fountain water, then pictured Ella scolding me.”

Molly noted a series of new dark stains on Hazel’s onesie that turned the plump white clouds on her outfit into storm clouds. The triple stains were like a dotted line connecting Molly to Drew. Accidents happened. Her urge to hold his hand and strengthen their connection wouldn’t be an accident. It’d be a mistake.

“Popsicles were a bad idea too.” Drew wiped at Hazel’s stomach, drawing out her quick giggle. “It broke right off the stick, rolled down Hazel’s front and onto the cement before I could catch more than a spoonful of the fruity swirl.”

“That’s what the washing machine is for.” Molly firmed her grip on the penny bag and lifted it into her sight line, forcing herself to redirect her focus away from Drew. “Looks like you two haven’t made too many wishes.”

“We detoured to touch the grass, the thick redwood tree trunks and sniff several flowers.” Drew showed Hazel a penny and tossed it into the fountain. Hazel clapped wildly.

“Are you at least making a new wish every time you toss a penny into the water?” Molly opened the bag and scooped out a handful of pennies. She blocked her heart from stepping forward, using a hard hit of logic. Wishing wells were a distraction. The same as her attraction to Drew. Wishes were forgotten and readily replaced. As for her attraction, she simply had to replace that too.

“We’re supposed to be making a new wish every time.” Drew laughed and shook his head. “I just keep repeating the same one over and over again.”

“I don’t think that’s how it’s supposed to work.” Molly launched a penny into the air. “It’s one wish per penny. Otherwise you’re buying your way to your wish coming true.”

“How many pennies have you tossed into a wishing well?” Drew shifted Hazel to his other arm.

“The better question is how many of my wishes have come true from the pennies I tossed into the fountains.” Molly handed Hazel a penny. Let her look at it.

Drew’s hand covered Hazel’s palm and the penny. He captured Hazel’s attention and lifted his voice in wonder. “Where did it go?”

Hazel peered at her now-empty palm. Her eyes round. Drew continued his show, finally revealing the penny in his pocket. He tossed it into the water and slanted his gaze at Molly. “After the first two pennies went straight for Hazel’s mouth, I decided I needed to become a magician. She can touch, but not taste.”

“Another lesson from Ella?” Molly smiled, picturing adorable and intelligent Ella tutoring Drew on everything baby.

“No.” Drew tapped Hazel’s nose. “Actually, the magic trick idea was all mine.”

“It’s a good one.” Unlike Molly’s idea to listen to her heart. To step closer to Drew and test whether her attraction to him was reciprocated. But what she felt was merely appreciation for Drew. And she couldn’t fall for him because he treated her daughter well. Molly faced the fountain and rolled a penny between her fingers.

Drew stepped beside her and bumped his shoulder against hers. “Well, are you going to tell me how many of your wishes came true?”

None. Was there harm in wishing again? Perhaps not. But trying again. Opening her heart again. Not a risk she could afford. “When I was a kid, I wished for a house.”

“How come I don’t know this? Where did you live growing up?” Drew reached up and patted Hazel’s back. She rested her head on his shoulder and yawned several times, each one bigger than the previous.

“Apartments.” Molly sealed the penny bag but failed to seal off her childhood memories. Or the words tumbling free. “More than two dozen different apartments