Page 120 of Fierce-Dane

“A doctor,” she said, grinning. Sloane knew some of it had to do with Dane and it touched her heart that was what Shiloh picked out when they went to the store to buy something.

If she’d had more time she might have tried to make something, but she barely had enough time to tell if she was coming or going.

“I find that very sweet. Sounds as if someone else likes Dane.”

“Shiloh does,” she said. “She doesn’t talk to many, but she is pretty open with him. Not as much as with me but more than anyone else. Slowly but surely we are all getting there.”

“Will you be bringing Shiloh to Willow’s birthday party in a few weeks?”

“I will be,” she said. “If I go, she has to go with me. And yes, Shiloh has met Dane’s kids.”

“I wasn’t going to ask,” Diane said.

“Sure, you were,” she said. “You’d find a way to fit it into the conversation.”

“You know me well,” Diane said. She heard the humor in her client’s voice.

“I’m getting there,” she said.

“Can I guess it went well with Tiffani and Tyler?” Diane asked.

It’d taken a few minutes of silence for Diane to ask that. She wasn’t going to volunteer it.

“As well as could be expected,” she said. “We haven’t had a chance to get them together again since that one time.”

She'd be meeting Dane’s parents that day too. She hoped there weren’t any incidents with the kids.

“I’m sure it will be fine. I can’t wait to see them all together.”

“You’re going to be there?” she asked.

“Yes,” she said. “Chloe isn’t just our employee, but being married to Royce, they are business owners with us. We’ve gotten very close with them and the Kennedys.”

“Of course you have. You’ve had a hand in Elise and Gabe’s relationship,” she said. “I heard about that.”

“Everyone is aware of what we do,” Diane said. “People play dumb, but they know what is happening.”

She laughed. “I’m not playing dumb. You had no hand in this.”

“I will admit that Carolyn and I thought you and Dane would be good together but had no way to make it happen. But we were thinking it.”

“I’m glad you’re so honest,” she said. “But it’s better this fell into our laps the way it had.”

“Everyone says that and thinks it,” Diane said. “I just call it fate. And since we did bring up Dane’s name to you a few times before, you knew who he was and maybe thought of him in a way you wouldn’t have otherwise.”

She smiled. “I should have figured you’d find a way to take some credit.”

35

BY HIS SIDE

“This is my first birthday party,” Shiloh said almost two weeks later.

“It is?” Dane asked. “I’m glad you can go. There will be a lot of people there though. And your hair looks cute.”

“We donated most of it,” Shiloh said. “It was my first haircut too, but I like it better like this.”

It was between her shoulders and back now. Combed and straight. Looking healthy like the rest of her.