Page 110 of Fierce-Dane

“Has she been here before?” Tiffani asked.

They were at his house and Sloane and Shiloh were planning on coming over a little before lunch. He’d order pizza since his kids would love that and he hoped Shiloh did too.

Sloane had told him that her sister was eating great.Maybe more than she should be, but she could stand to put some weight on and as long as she wasn’t making herself ill she’d need time to know and understand that the food would always be there.

“She has,” he said. “I normally go to Sloane’s house because it’s easier, but Sloane has come here a few times with Shiloh for dinner or for us to spend some time together.”

He’d wanted Shiloh to get used to seeing his house, as he knew it was so far removed from anything she’d been in before. He also wanted to be honest with his kids that Shiloh had spent the night too.

“Mom told me to check my toys yesterday and now I know why,” Tiffani said, a tear rolling down her cheek. “She’s been playing with my stuff, hasn’t she? You’re spending time with another kid and letting her use my things!”

He ground his teeth over Mel saying that to Tiffani. How dare his ex set this up for failure? And why would she?

“Your mother shouldn’t have said that to you. Shiloh hasnotbeen in your room nor played with your toys. She brings her own.”

“You’re not lying to me?” Tiffani asked. “Just like you did about another kid?”

“Enough,” he said firmly. “I’ve never lied to you and I’m not sure why you think that.”

“You said we’d always be a family and we aren’t anymore,” Tiffani said. “That’s a lie.”

“We are a family,” he argued. “Being a family means a lot of things. It doesn’t mean a mother and father stay together for that to happen. How many of your friends’ parents are still married to each other?”

Tiffani sniffled a little and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Some.”

“That’s right,” he said. “Do any of them have stepparents?”

“Yes,” Tiffani said. “Does that mean you’re going to marry Sloane?”

“No,” he said. “It doesn’t mean anything other than Sloane and I are dating. You liked her weeks ago and told me as much. You’ve been asking all sorts of questions about her and said you were ready to meet her and now all of sudden you’re changing your mind because she has a little sister to take care of? That’s kind of selfish, don’t you think? I thought I raised you better than that. To have compassion for the fact that Shiloh is Tyler’s age and lost her mother. The only family she has is Sloane. That’s what being a family is about too.”

Tiffani was crying harder and he hated the words he was saying, but this was a life lesson his daughter was going to have to learn and get over quickly.

“Shiloh can play with my toys,” Tyler said. “I don’t care. Does she like cars and Legos?”

“Thank you, Tyler,” he said to his son. Tyler had been sitting there quietly during this like normal. “I don’t know if she does. You can ask her that when she gets here. I expect you both to be on your best behavior and treat her the same as you’d want to be treated if your mother dated someone who had a child and you were going to meet them for the first time. Is that understood?”

“Yes,” Tyler said.

Tiffani nodded her head. “Do I have to like her?”

He knew this was just hurt feelings and some jealousy coming out and was trying to be patient. “You don’t knowher yet. This is like any other child you would meet at school. You have to learn more about her to decide.”

He’d never force his kids to do anything, but he expected them to at least behave and not be mean.

“Okay,” Tiffani said. “When are they going to be here?”

He looked at his watch. It wasn’t even ten yet. He’d wanted to tell the kids last night but didn’t until he knew for sure that Sloane would be here.

She wasn’t working on clients on Sundays and bringing Shiloh with her to the spa.

After school care was taken care of, but nights and weekends the little girl was used to spending some time in Sloane’s office playing or watching TV. He’d actually taken Shiloh a few hours and kept an eye on her at Sloane’s to give her a break.

Never once had Sloane asked, he’d just offered.

If his kids knew about Shiloh and it worked out, he could do it a bit more, but never would all the time. No way would Tiffani be on board with that and he wouldn’t upset his daughter any more than was necessary until she could get a handle on this new dynamic.

“In a few hours. I thought we’d order pizza for lunch and then you and Tyler can get to know Sloane a bit more. Ask her anything you want. You know she’s nice, Tiffani. You’ve said it before.”