so soon after they’d broken up. Had she ever stopped to think how
she’d made him suffer by making the choices she had? She’d been the one to throw
away their future, not him.
“Did she like my book?” Katie asked at length.
“She loves it so much she takes it to bed with her.”
Katie’s face lit. “I’m glad.”
Once upon a time her smile had been like sunshine in his life.
Now he looked away.
A small hand crept into his. Tuti gazed up at him, questioning.
No matter how she’d struggled against wearing the school uniform, no matter how
she’d refused to sleep in a bed, no matter that he had no idea how to deal with
a six-year-old girl, not once had she rejected him .
From the minute he’d hoisted her onto his shoulders at Nena’s funeral she’d
trusted him. It was humbling. Yes, he was pretty certain she felt the
connection, too.
He cleared his throat. “Tuti, can you say goodbye to Miss
Henning? Selamat tingall .”
Tuti ducked her head.
“Goodbye for now.” Katie leaned down and hugged the girl. Tuti
clasped her around the waist. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“We’re going to Springvale,” John said. “To pick up foods she’s
familiar with from the Asian market.” Seeing Tuti and Katie embracing so
affectionately, he added on impulse, “We’ll have dinner while we’re there. Would
you like to come?”
Katie hesitated. For a moment he thought she might say yes.
Then she shook her head. “I have work to do.”
“Okay, fine.” It was a dumb idea, anyway.
“You’re going to have to get used to being with her.”
“It’s not that…” He trailed away. It was, partly. He adored his
daughter but he was floundering. Not that he was going to let Katie know that.
“Come on, Tuti. Let’s go.”
Tuti smiled at Katie and gestured to her.
Katie smiled back and waved. “Goodbye.”
Tuti shook her head and motioned with her hand to her mouth as
if eating.
“She must have understood what I said about dinner,” John
said.
“And that you invited me. That’s good. The more English she
understands the easier it’ll be when she starts to speak.”
Tuti put her hands together in the universal gesture of prayer
or pleading. Above her steepled fingertips, her dark eyes danced merrily.
“She knows how to charm,” Katie said drily. “Must have got that
from you.”
“Tuti, Katie is busy. You’ll see her tomorrow.” He tugged
gently on her hand. Her shoulders slumped, but she allowed him to lead her out
the door.
“Wait,” Katie said.
CHAPTER FOUR
“I’ LL COME WITH you after all,” Katie
said. By his own admission John knew nothing about children, much less little
girls. “I’m an expert at buying the healthiest fresh ingredients. When cooking
for kids, it’s important to have a balanced diet.”
John bristled at her comment. “I cook, too. A healthy meal
isn’t all about googly berries and wheat grass extracts. Tuti won’t eat that
crap.”
“Goji berries.” Katie, reaching for her cardigan and purse,
stiffened. He had a blind spot when it came to her health choices. “I was only
trying to help. By all means, go by yourself.”
Tuti’s gaze swiveled from Katie to John. Oh, dear. She might
not understand every word but she could surely pick up on the tension. John had
invited impulsively, and she’d accepted equally impulsively. They’d both made a
mistake. But Tuti would be the one to pay.
John noticed Tuti tracking their exchange, too. “No, you’re
welcome to come along,” he said grudgingly. “I’m sure between us we can get what
she needs.”
Katie hesitated, then nodded. It was too late to back out now.
She walked slightly ahead of John down the school corridor. This was her turf.
Plus, she needed to maintain some distance. She’d vowed years ago never to go
out with him again.
Yet here she was, helping him shop for his daughter. And
joining him for dinner. She’d forgotten that part when she’d agreed to help buy
groceries.
It was okay.
she’d made him suffer by making the choices she had? She’d been the one to throw
away their future, not him.
“Did she like my book?” Katie asked at length.
“She loves it so much she takes it to bed with her.”
Katie’s face lit. “I’m glad.”
Once upon a time her smile had been like sunshine in his life.
Now he looked away.
A small hand crept into his. Tuti gazed up at him, questioning.
No matter how she’d struggled against wearing the school uniform, no matter how
she’d refused to sleep in a bed, no matter that he had no idea how to deal with
a six-year-old girl, not once had she rejected him .
From the minute he’d hoisted her onto his shoulders at Nena’s funeral she’d
trusted him. It was humbling. Yes, he was pretty certain she felt the
connection, too.
He cleared his throat. “Tuti, can you say goodbye to Miss
Henning? Selamat tingall .”
Tuti ducked her head.
“Goodbye for now.” Katie leaned down and hugged the girl. Tuti
clasped her around the waist. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“We’re going to Springvale,” John said. “To pick up foods she’s
familiar with from the Asian market.” Seeing Tuti and Katie embracing so
affectionately, he added on impulse, “We’ll have dinner while we’re there. Would
you like to come?”
Katie hesitated. For a moment he thought she might say yes.
Then she shook her head. “I have work to do.”
“Okay, fine.” It was a dumb idea, anyway.
“You’re going to have to get used to being with her.”
“It’s not that…” He trailed away. It was, partly. He adored his
daughter but he was floundering. Not that he was going to let Katie know that.
“Come on, Tuti. Let’s go.”
Tuti smiled at Katie and gestured to her.
Katie smiled back and waved. “Goodbye.”
Tuti shook her head and motioned with her hand to her mouth as
if eating.
“She must have understood what I said about dinner,” John
said.
“And that you invited me. That’s good. The more English she
understands the easier it’ll be when she starts to speak.”
Tuti put her hands together in the universal gesture of prayer
or pleading. Above her steepled fingertips, her dark eyes danced merrily.
“She knows how to charm,” Katie said drily. “Must have got that
from you.”
“Tuti, Katie is busy. You’ll see her tomorrow.” He tugged
gently on her hand. Her shoulders slumped, but she allowed him to lead her out
the door.
“Wait,” Katie said.
CHAPTER FOUR
“I’ LL COME WITH you after all,” Katie
said. By his own admission John knew nothing about children, much less little
girls. “I’m an expert at buying the healthiest fresh ingredients. When cooking
for kids, it’s important to have a balanced diet.”
John bristled at her comment. “I cook, too. A healthy meal
isn’t all about googly berries and wheat grass extracts. Tuti won’t eat that
crap.”
“Goji berries.” Katie, reaching for her cardigan and purse,
stiffened. He had a blind spot when it came to her health choices. “I was only
trying to help. By all means, go by yourself.”
Tuti’s gaze swiveled from Katie to John. Oh, dear. She might
not understand every word but she could surely pick up on the tension. John had
invited impulsively, and she’d accepted equally impulsively. They’d both made a
mistake. But Tuti would be the one to pay.
John noticed Tuti tracking their exchange, too. “No, you’re
welcome to come along,” he said grudgingly. “I’m sure between us we can get what
she needs.”
Katie hesitated, then nodded. It was too late to back out now.
She walked slightly ahead of John down the school corridor. This was her turf.
Plus, she needed to maintain some distance. She’d vowed years ago never to go
out with him again.
Yet here she was, helping him shop for his daughter. And
joining him for dinner. She’d forgotten that part when she’d agreed to help buy
groceries.
It was okay.
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