Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
“That sounds very positive.”
“It does,” Coco said softly, before adding, “I wish he hadn’t gotten hit.”
“I bet everyone wishes that too.”
They sat there in companionable silence for a couple of minutes. Held close to his steady heart rate, Coco loved the calm reassurance that radiated from Roman. She could feel the dark cloud over her head breaking up and drifting away.
When he shifted on the hard concrete, she immediately shifted to get off his lap. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to….” Her voice trailed off as his arms tightened, holding her in place.
“I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. I’m enjoying comforting you. Are you finding my touch unpleasant?” he asked, watching her face.
“No,” she whispered. “Normally, I don’t sit on someone’s lap.”
“I’m good with that. You’ll find I’m very possessive.”
“I’m going to fine… find that out?” she corrected herself.
“You will. You haven’t checked your phone, have you?” He chuckled, jostling her a bit.
“No. I don’t carry my phone around—definitely not into surgery.”
Roman leaned to the left and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Holding the device in front of him, he unlocked the screen and showed her the message that flashed on the screen. It was a picture of her and the red words, Match Found!
“The PLAYTIME app?” she gasped.
“Yes. I recognized you immediately. Even in the stress and sadness of our meeting, something inside of me told me to pay attention to you.”
“Really?” she squeaked.
“Yes, Little girl. Your compassion and obvious love for animals impressed me. Now, I’m glad Buster got to meet you.”
“I’m glad I got to meet him too.”
She glanced at her watch and stiffened. “Oh, no! I’ve got to get back to work!” Coco scrambled off his lap and hesitated. “What do we do now?”
“I pick you up for dinner and we'll talk. What time are you off?”
“Six. Maybe a bit after. I like to make sure all the overnight cases are settled.”
“I’ll be in the parking lot at six. Take your time, Coco. I’ll wait for you as long as it takes.”
She stared at him for a minute before her watch buzzed, the reminder that her break was over. “Okay,” she said and flew to the back door. Unable to resist, she turned back to see him standing by the stairs watching her.
“Soon, Little girl,” he called.
Coco waved and darted inside with her heart pounding inside her chest. He was a Daddy. No, she corrected herself. He was her Daddy.
“Are you okay?” Isabella asked, staring at her.
“The PLAYTIME app just matched me. He showed up to tell me,” Coco said breathlessly.
“No way! Congratulations!” Isabella rushed forward to wrap her arms around Coco. The two women bounced around in a happy circle.
“Whoa! What are we celebrating?” Sofia’s voice interrupted their fun.
“Her PLAYTIME match!” Isabella shared.
“Really? That’s incredible!” Sofia joined the celebration, hugging the two women. “Who is it?”
“Roman. I don’t know his last name. Buster’s dad,” Coco said.
Isabella whistled. “Roman Amato? That man is fine.”
Coco nodded and squelched the flare of jealousy that sparked inside her when Isabella complimented him.
“Who’s fine?” a deep voice asked.
The women turned together to see Noah Sandoval standing in the doorway. Isabella and Sofia rushed to greet him with hugs. “You are, Daddy,” Sofia assured him.
“Thank you, Little girl. I flagged your profile when it came in, Coco. I came to make sure Coco got the notification from PLAYTIME.”
“He was just here, Daddy,” Isabella told him. “It’s Roman Amato.”
“I saw that. He’s a good man, Coco,” Noah told her with a smile. “I hope you’ll be as happy as we are.”
CHAPTER 4
“Hi!” Coco greeted him as she walked out the staff door in the back.
“Hi, Coco. Are you hungry?” Roman had arrived about five forty-five. He didn’t want to miss her or have Coco hang around by herself.
As she got close to his car, the toe of her battered sneaker caught on the pavement and she tilted forward. Roman straightened from his position leaning on his car to catch her. Once he touched her, Roman couldn’t stop himself from wrapping his arms around her to hug Coco tight.
“I’m just a doofus,” she said, hiding her face against his chest.
“You are not. You’re tired and stumbled.”
“So I’m a kleptomaniac… klutz,” she blurted, correcting herself quickly. She looked up at him to apologize, “Sorry. When I get nervy… nervous, I mix my words up.”
His Little girl enchanted him with her cute awkwardness and mixed-up words. “Thank you for sharing that information. I’ll know I need to reassure you when you correct yourself. How do you think I should do that?”
“Reassure me?” she repeated.
“Yes, would a kiss help?” he asked, tilting her chin up. He lowered his lips to hers slowly, giving her ample time to move away or turn her head. Coco rose on her tiptoes to speed up his process.