Page 75 of Fierce-Dane

“She won’t tell me,” Tiffani said. “Sometimes she won’t answer questions when we ask her. She’ll say because she is the mother and that is why.”

He laughed. “Sometimes that is the only answer you need. When you’re an adult you might understand it more.Now saddle up, troops. Do you have Stanley and Felix? Check your bags and make sure they aren’t hiding under the bed.”

He was starting to think Tiffani did that on purpose so he’d have to go back and see her.

“He’s not here,” Tiffani said.

“I’ll go get him,” he said. Exactly what he figured, but today he had plans and wanted to avoid making a pit stop to drop off a stuffed animal if he could avoid it.

He ran up the stairs to his daughter’s bedroom and found the floppy-eared rabbit hiding under her pillow this time.

He handed it over when he got to the bottom and the three of them went to the garage, got in his SUV and he drove them to Mel’s.

When he pulled into Mel’s ten minutes later, both kids got out.

He looked into the back and saw Stanley sitting there after Tiffani got out and opened the door to get him.

Mel was on the porch with her arms crossed. “Tiffani. I told you three times to make sure you’ve got Stanley.”

“I had him,” Tiffani said, reaching her hand for it. “But he was in the car. I forgot.”

“No, you didn’t,” Tyler said. “You purposely put him between the two seats. I saw it.”

“No, I didn’t,” Tiffani said and stomped her foot. “I’m not lying.”

“Enough,” Dane said. “Both of you. You’ve got Stanley now. Give me a kiss and I’ll see you in four days.”

Tiffani gave him a hug and kiss and Tyler did the same.

“If we were staying with Dad,” Tyler said, “we could have gone swimming at Aunt Chloe’s today.”

His shoulders dropped. “I told them next time. We went yesterday.”

“Ethan and I have a surprise today,” Mel said. “We are going to do something as a family.”

“That would mean Dad comes too if it is as a family,” Tiffani said smartly.

He put his hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Hey. What have we said before?”

Tiffani looked up at him. “That we’ll always be a family even if Mom and you aren’t together.”

“Exactly. Go have fun with Mom and Ethan today.”

“Thanks,” Mel said. “I told you she is giving me fits.”

“I keep talking to her. I’ll do it again,” he said.

Dane left shortly after and went home to clean up any messes the kids might have left before Sloane showed up.

He was starting to worry about telling them he had a girlfriend, but he knew the longer he waited the harder it’d be.

He should tell Mel first. It’d have to be a conversation when no one was around. Not the kids or Ethan.

Maybe he’d feel Sloane out today and see what she thought.

If he told the kids, she might feel some pressure and that was the last thing he wanted.

Almost two hours later, Sloane pulled into his driveway.