“Make it three,” I say.

“You have very pretty hair,” Lila tells Casey, who preens from the compliment.

“It’s just like my mom’s,” Casey says innocently, and the stab to my heart is immediate. It’s lessened with time, thankfully, but in these simple moments, it catches me off guard. “It’s really curly. And red.” She wrinkles her nose.

“That explains it,” Lila says, looking at me with surprised eyes. “I was expecting you to have dark hair like your daddy.”

“Nope. I got the red.” Casey sighs. “And the freckles.”

“You know, my best friend has red hair and freckles, and she’s just as gorgeous as you are.”

Casey smiles up at me, then back at Lila. “Cool.”

“So what are our plans for the rest of the day? Surely you don’t intend to try to entertain me all day.” Lila takes a sip of her water, watching me over the rim.

“I do intend to entertain you all day. And don’t call me Shirley.”

Lila laughs, a happy, loud laugh that makes my stomach clench. She tosses her hair over one shoulder and shakes her head at me. “You’re silly.”

“He’s really silly,” Casey agrees and claps her hands as our pancakes and bacon are served. “But he’s handsome. Don’t you think?”

“She’s really subtle,” I inform Lila dryly. She simply pours maple syrup on her pancakes, so much that I wince and then chuckle at her. “Do you want some pancakes with your syrup?”

“Maybe.” She winks at me and turns her attention back to Casey. “Yes, your daddy is handsome.”

“And he’s smart. And he has a good job. And he can fix things.”

“Really?” Lila takes a bite of her bacon and leans in like Casey is about to tell her all of life’s secrets. “What can he fix?”

I watch Casey, also interested to hear what it is, exactly, that I can fix.

“Well, he unclogged the toilet when I accidently dropped his phone in it and flushed.”

“Oh my.”

“And our stove stopped working and he replaced the lelement, and now it works again.”

“I replaced the heating element in the oven,” I correct her, but she’s ignoring me.

“And at Christmas time, half of the lights on our Christmas tree wouldn’t light, but he figured it out and made them come back on!”

“That is impressive.”

I chuckle and munch on my bacon, enjoying the banter between these two amazing girls. Casey is chattering about my skills in painting the living room, clearly trying to convince Lila that she and I should be together forever, and Lila is listening. Not half-assed the way some adults do when they’re humoring a kid and want to get on with their day.

Casey has Lila’s undivided attention, and it terrifies me to realize that she just…fits.

Which is ridiculous because I hardly know her. One night in bed with her and a few conversations does not a life-long relationship make.

And yet, I know she’s smart. So much smarter than me. She’s kind. She’s funny.

And fuck me, she’s sexy as I don’t know what.

And seeing her here, with my kid, she’s attentive and sweet.

A man could fall in love with her.

Where the hell did that come from?

“I have a joke!” Casey announces.

“Okay, shoot,” Lila says.

“Why did the peach go out with the prune?”

“Why?” Lila and I ask at the same time.

“Because it couldn’t find a date!”

Casey busts out laughing. “Get it?”

“Yes,” I reply, chuckling, and catch Lila’s humor-filled gaze with my own. “You’re a funny girl.”

“This was delicious,” Lila says as she lays her napkin on her empty plate. “You were right. Best pancakes ever.”

“They’re pretty good,” I agree. “When I was a kid, my mom—”

“I have to tell you about Masie!” Casey says, interrupting me.

“Hey.” I give her the Dad Stink Eye. “I understand that you’re enjoying Lila’s company, but that’s no reason to be rude. Apologize please.”

“I’m sorry for being rude,” Casey says. “Excuse me, Daddy?”

“Yes.”

“May I please tell Lila about Masie?”

My phone buzzes in my pocket as Lila laughs. “Yes, go ahead and tell her.”

Casey begins to chatter about her best friend as I answer. “What’s up?”

“We have another one.” Jordan’s voice is clipped, and I can hear road noise as she drives. “I’m on my way to the scene now.”

“On my way.” I motion for the waitress and pay the bill without looking at it. “We have to go, girls.”

“What’s wrong?” Lila asks. I hold her gaze and shake my head quickly. I won’t discuss the details of my job around my daughter. She knows that I investigate murders, that I catch the bad guys, but that’s it. I see things that no ten-year-old should ever be privy to.

“I have to drop you home, then take Casey to my brother’s and get to work.”

“I thought you had today off,” Casey says with a sigh. “Did someone die?”

“Yes, baby.” I kiss her head as we walk to the car. “I’m sorry.”