Page 11 of The Fiancé Hoax

“Exactly like hide and seek,” Felicity said.

Lily’s face brightened. “That’s my favorite game.”

Felicity kneeled down to Lily’s level so the girls could see the wig better. Eva touched the hair with curiosity, and Lily followed suit.

“I like freeze tag,” Eva announced. “Or dodgeball.” She began to play with Felicity’s real hair. “Your hair is much prettier than that one.”

“Oh, thank you.” Felicity smiled up at me as Eva started to braid her long hair.

“What’s that stuff?” Lily asked, pointing at the stack of papers and sketchbooks in Felicity’s arms. Eva let go of Felicity’s hair as she peered at the drawing on top.

“These are my sketches. Drawings.”

Lily’s eyes lit up. “You like to draw?”

Felicity nodded. “Uh-huh. I draw pictures of clothes, and then I make them.”

“You make clothes?” Eva asked.

“Yep. With a sewing machine.” She moved to the table and laid out some papers for the girls to see.

The three of them climbed into the booth, one girl on either side of Felicity. Eva and Lily peered at the drawings, fascinated.

“Ooh, that’s a cool dress!” Eva chirped. “And that one, too!”

“Felicity’s a fashion designer,” I said. “She has her own store.”

But the girls had lost all interest in what I had to say. I slid into the booth opposite them and watched.

“What’s that one?” Lily pointed.

“That’s a winter coat.”

“It’s much nicer than the coats Daddy makes us wear,” Eva said. “He makes us wear boring clothes.”

“Hey, I keep you warm, don’t I?” I asked. “A winter coat just has to keep you from freezing. Six- and eight-year-olds don’t have to be fashion models.”

My daughters weren’t listening. “Daddy has such boring taste in clothes,” Eva said.

“Yeah,” Lily agreed.

Felicity laughed.

“This is so cool,” Eva gushed. “I didn’t know anyone made their own clothes!”

“Me neither,” Lily said.

“Daddy never takes us to see cool stuff like this,” Eva complained.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, you two live such a deprived life.”

Eva looked at the blue dress Felicity wore. “Did you make that?”

“Uh-huh.”

Eva touched the fabric on Felicity’s shoulder and beamed. “Wow!”

I watched as the girls pummeled Felicity with several more questions. She was good with them. Really good.