Lettie nodded enthusiastically. “You know the movie?”

“Of course!” She stood easily and glanced from Lettie to Bailey. “Oh my, you are just the cutest Von Trapp family! And you look just like your mommy,” she said to Lettie.

“Oh,” Bailey flustered. “I’m not her—”

“That’s my Bailey,” Lettie said as if that explained everything. In her world, it did. How simple everything was in her mind. In that moment, I wanted to see the world just like she did.

“Well, she’s lovely,” the woman said. “And you make a very dashing Captain Von Trapp,” she said with a wink before passing us on the sidewalk.

Lettie took my hand and we started walking again. “Did you hear her?” I asked Bailey with a wiggle of my eyebrows. “She thinks I’m dashing.”

Bailey looked down at her feet and then straight ahead. “Yeah, well she also thought I was Lettie’s mom.”

We stopped in front of the next house and Lettie ran up to the porch. “Okay? I’m not mad, Bailey. Look at us, we look like a family.”

“But we’re not,” she whispered. “I’m not Bailey’s Mom, and I don’t want her feeling weird about that.”

I turned Bailey so she could see Lettie skipping back down the path toward us. “Look at her. Does she seem like she’s bothered?”

“No,” she whispered, but I felt how tense she was under my hands.

“Next!” Lettie declared and took off for the next house.

“This is the last one, Lettie-Lou. Then we need to head home,” I told her, then took Bailey’s hand in my own, stroking my thumb over the delicate skin. “You’re not her Mother,” I admitted, and nearly kicked myself when she flinched. “That’s not what I mean.” I stopped us in the middle of the sidewalk while Lettie tackled the porch ten feet away. Then I cupped Bailey’s face in my hands. “You’re her Bailey. Think about what she knows of mothers. You’re not her mother—you’re her Bailey...and that is so much better.”

I kissed her softly, wishing she could see herself through my eyes, really see how amazing she was with my daughter—with me.

“Just like the movie!” Lettie squealed and clapped, losing some of the candy out of her bag as she bounded back down the sidewalk to us. “Now are you going to sing?”

Bailey panicked, but I wouldn’t let her pull away. If we were going to do this, really try, then Lettie had to be brought in on it, and from the looks of things, she wasn’t bothered in the least bit.

“No, but if you’re lucky, I’ll let you watch the movie while I sort through all this candy and make sure it’s safe for you,” I said to my daughter as I took Bailey’s hand. “Let’s get you two home before you turn into pumpkins.”

“Worry wart,” Bailey teased.

“About my girls? Always.”

 

 

Bailey

 

 

Chapter 10

 

“I’ll be there in a half-hour,” I said, raising my voice so Paige could hear me over the speaker as my cell sat on the bathroom counter. I wrestled with the costume Jeannine had sent over for me to wear to the invite-only party she was having at her restaurant Nine’s.

I turned around to check myself in the mirror and my eyebrows rose. “Did Jeannine pick out your costume too?” I asked Paige, smoothing my hands over the tight black fabric.

“Yes. The woman is hilarious. I’m a sexy nun. Can you believe that? I didn’t even think there was such a thing.”

I burst out laughing, hurrying to add a little black eyeliner to make my eyes pop. “I’ll give you three guesses what I am.”

“Sexy soccer mom?”

I chuckled. “Nope.”

“Sexy maid?”

“Bingo. French maid outfit for the win.” I shook my head. “She has some nerve. She better show up in fishnets and a chef’s jacket or I’m changing back into the postulant dress Maria wears.”

“What kind of three-year-old loves the Sound of Music that much?” Paige asked as I fluffed my hair.

“The best kind. Seriously.”

“How’d Gage look as Captain Von Trapp?”

I scooped up my cell and took it off speaker, pressing it to my ear. “Sexy as hell. Naturally.”

“You have got to press that soon.”

“You’re one to talk.”

“I know,” Paige said. “Jeannine is on me about that damn list still.” She chuckled. “All right, girl. I’m heading toward Nine’s now. Would you like me to send a car for you?”

“No, thank you,” I said. “I’ll have Lettie bright and early tomorrow morning. I won’t be drinking tonight.”

“See you in a few,” Paige said and I hung up the phone.

One last look in the mirror, surveying the tight fishnet stockings that made my legs look long and lean and just a bit dirty, and the poufy skirt that was just a couple inches too short, sent butterflies flapping in my stomach. I wasn’t certain I’d run into Gage on my way out, but I would pay money to see his face when he saw me in this getup.

Lettie had looked downright adorable in her custom Gretl dress I’d spent weeks working on, and it had been worth stopping at all the houses around the neighborhood just to see the glitter in her eyes as she blared The Hills are Alive at the top of her lungs. And, after a good amount of puppy-eyes, she’s talked her Grammy into taking her around her neighborhood for a quick pass too and a follow-up slumber party. Gage had barely put up a fight—he never could deny her anything.

I walked down the hallway toward the kitchen where I’d left my clutch on the island, my stilettos clicking audibly against the hardwood floors.

“Bailey do you need---“ Gage called out as I rounded the corner, stopping abruptly once I came into full view. His mouth dropped almost as quickly as my black clutch he’d had in his hand. It hit the floor with a loud smack and I couldn’t help but giggle.

“I do, thanks,” I said and bent down to pick it up. My breasts half-popped out of the insanely tight corset top that went along with the overly poofy skirt. I gasped, covering my girls and scooping the clutch up as quickly as possible.

Note to self: One, kill Jeannine. Two, don’t bend over at the party.