Page 23 of Healing Fate

“Nothing, and everything. It’s fine, really. I’m afraid it’s simply par for the course of a single mother. Vada is overly tired from her first week of school. I had tried to make it a low-key day to give her time to regroup, but she’s just so cranky. I thought I would surprise her with a little fun and order pizza for dinner, but there’s an hour backup.”

“It is Saturday night.”

“I realize that. I just hadn’t thought it would be this busy or I would have ordered earlier.”

“Does she like pot roast?” I blurted out just as I pulled up in front of my house.

“Uh, that’s oddly specific, but yes. It’s her absolute favorite actually and it’s far too late to run to the store and get the ingredients, Micah. That’s something that needs to cook all day.”

“I’m on it. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

I hung up the phone before she could tell me I was being ridiculous. I ran into the house, grabbed my crock pot and took it right back to the car. Then I drove over to Lucy’s with a smile on my face surprised at just how great it made me feel to care for her.

I could certainly get used to it.

Parking and picking up our dinner, I took the front steps two at a time and knocked on Lucy’s door.

“Mommy!” Vada yelled.

“I hear it,” she mumbled seconds before the door opened.

There was a little girl with red rimmed eyes holding onto her leg for dear life.

“Mommy!” Vada yelled again. The young one looked up at me with huge eyes. She sniffed the air. “Food?”

“I’m told you like pot roast, Vada. Would you like to share my dinner?”

She abandoned her mother and toddled over to me.

“Doc,” she said. “Eat.”

I leaned down and swooped the girl up with one arm while balancing the pot in the other.

She giggled.

“Which way to the kitchen?”

Vada pointed and squealed happily.

Lucy

Chapter 7

I was on the verge of tears watching them.

Micah had Vada help him find three plates and silverware along with a serving spoon and set up the table. They both refused to let me help as they giggled and conspired while insisting I just sit and relax.

There was something sexy about a man with a baby in his arms. Plus, he was so nice to Vada. He had told me she wasn’t the only lab baby he was acquainted with but seeing the way he treated her like a normal child made my heart melt and endeared him to me.

I had never truly had help with my daughter. It had always been just me and Vada. I had never dared to believe there could be anything else in the future, but as we sat down and ate the most incredible meal I could ever remember, my guard dropped where he was concerned.

“Mmm!” Vada exclaimed. “I yike. Doc, I yike.”

“This really is delicious,” I said. “Thank you. You really didn’t have to do all of this. It’s too much.”

“Nonsense. I would have preferred to have spent the entire day spoiling you both. Typically, I would have had today off.”

I didn’t know how to feel about what he said. No one had ever spoiled me before. I knew I couldn’t let him keep doing stuff like this, but for tonight, it had been sheer bliss to sit and let someone else handle the mundane daily needs such as making dinner.