Page 105 of Fierce-Dane

“I wanted to come,” Tiffani said. “I like getting my nails done. Dad said maybe you’d do them sometime.”

“I can,” she said. “If you’d like it.”

“I would,” Tiffani said.

“Tiffani,” Chloe said. “That isn’t what you ask.”

“I know,” Tiffani said. “But I’m trying to find something we have in common. That is what Dad always says we have to do when Mom is dating someone.”

Ahhhhh, this little girl was so brave at the same time she was nervous.

“You know what?” Sloane said. “I bet we have a lot of things in common. Do you like brownies?”

“I love brownies,” Tiffani said.

“I make really good brownies. I made them for your dad and he and I had six of them that night.”

Tiffani’s jaw dropped. “I’m telling him that’s not fair. He never lets me have more than two.”

She grinned at Chloe’s wink. “What do you like doing?”

“I like to swim at Aunt Chloe’s. Do you like to swim?”

“I like the water,” she said. “But I never really learned how to swim.”

“I’ve got to take lessons. Maybe we can take them together.”

“That sounds like it’d be a lot of fun.” And something Shiloh could do too. She’d make a mental note later on.

“Do you like board games and books and cartoons?”

“I haven’t played a lot of board games,” she said. “But I bet they’d be a lot of fun. I like playing cards.” That was something they had when she was a kid. “I know all sorts of card games. I do read books when I’ve got time. I’m not up to date on cartoons, but I used to love to color as a kid.”

Another thing they’d had. Cheap leftover crayons fromdumpster diving and sheets of paper. It was better than nothing.

“I love to color too,” Tiffani said. “Grandpa colors with me too, but he’s got adult coloring books and markers. Animals are my favorite.”

“I’m so glad to know that,” she said.

“See,” Chloe said. “You do have some things in common. Do you feel better now?”

“I do, but Tyler might want to know things too. Do you like to play outside? Dad plays soccer with us and pushes us on the swing set and he plays hide and seek.”

“I’m a champion hide and seeker,” she said. A free game and there were all sorts of places to hide on the land. Most of the time she just hid away so no one could find her and she’d be alone in her own thoughts.

“That’s Tyler's favorite thing to do,” Tiffani said.

“Do you feel betternow, Tiffani?” Chloe asked.

“I do,” Tiffani said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “I’m glad we got to talk.”

Sloane wouldn’t ask or bring up their getting together again. Not with Shiloh in the picture.

The kids were just learning about her and it’d be best she didn’t add the fact she had custody of a child.

Dane would have to take the lead there too.