distracted. What were you saying?”
“I was just asking whether you think the paparazzi are still following her,” Sawyer said.
“No, I don’t think so. She hasn’t seen them in months, and nothing about her has been in the magazines for quite some time. It looks like the world of celebrity gossip has moved on to other things. Which is exactly what Lexi wanted.”
Sawyer nodded. “Well, then, I have no problem with her being here. What I do have a problem with is seeing one of my best friends hang back like a coward and not tell the woman he cares about that he’s interested in her. Don’t let the past hold you back, anymore. You like her. Silver likes her. She’s a kind and talented woman. When you find a good one, you gotta make a move while you still can. You’re a bear. A grizzly. Start acting like one.”
Anderson nodded, a feeling of pride rising in his chest. “You’re right. I’m going to talk to her today. No more standing on the sidelines while life passes me by.”
“Attaboy,” Sawyer said, giving Anderson a hearty slap on the back. “I’m going to be asking you how it went next time I see you, so there’s no backing out now.”
Anderson grinned at Sawyer. As annoying as his best friend could be sometimes, he had to admit that Sawyer really had a good heart and gave solid advice. Anderson could only hope that Sawyer’s advice to go for it was going to pay off in this situation.
Several hours later, Anderson drove to Auntie Grace’s house to pick up Silver and Lexi. When he arrived, he let himself in and was greeted by the smell of freshly baked cookies and the sound of energetic laughter. When he rounded the corner to the kitchen, he found Lexi, Silver, and Auntie Grace all gathered around the kitchen island, wearing aprons and covered in flour. Silver, ever the observant one, was the first to spot him.
“Daddy!” she cried out. “We made five different kinds of cookies.”
“Five different kinds? Wow!” Anderson said, scooping Silver up off the stepstool she had been standing on. He was going to get flour all over his clothes, but he didn’t care. He wanted to cuddle his little girl. He spun her around, eliciting a series of high-pitched squeals and laughter. Then he set her back down and gave her a gentle shove in the direction of the bathroom.
“Go get cleaned up,” he said. “We need to swing by the grocery store and get some food.”
Silver did as she was told, and Anderson turned to face the other two women, who were both watching him with interest.
“You really don’t have to take me to the grocery store,” Lexi said. “If you just give me directions, I’m sure I can walk over myself and get some stuff.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Anderson said. “You don’t have a car here, and I’m not going to make you lug a bunch of grocery bags around. It’s no trouble for me to drive you. Besides, I should really pick up some things myself. Now that Silver is back home, my stockpile of snacks is quickly disappearing. It’s amazing how much food a six-year-old girl can put away.”
Lexi laughed. “Okay. Well, then, I’m going to go wash up, too.” Lexi went to join Silver at the bathroom sink, leaving Anderson alone with Auntie Grace.
“So,” Auntie Grace said, as soon as Lexi had left the room. “When’s the big day?”
“The big day?” Anderson asked, confused.
“The wedding for you and Lexi. I want to put it on my calendar.”
Anderson rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on, Auntie. She’s just a friend. I won’t try to claim I’m not interested in her, but I think asking for a wedding date is getting a little ahead of the game, here. For all I know, she’s not even interested in me.”
Auntie Grace laughed so hard that she snorted. “Oh, she’s interested, all right. It would take an idiot to miss the way she looks at you. Or the way you look at her. Besides, the two of you don’t stand a chance of staying apart, what with that little girl of
“I was just asking whether you think the paparazzi are still following her,” Sawyer said.
“No, I don’t think so. She hasn’t seen them in months, and nothing about her has been in the magazines for quite some time. It looks like the world of celebrity gossip has moved on to other things. Which is exactly what Lexi wanted.”
Sawyer nodded. “Well, then, I have no problem with her being here. What I do have a problem with is seeing one of my best friends hang back like a coward and not tell the woman he cares about that he’s interested in her. Don’t let the past hold you back, anymore. You like her. Silver likes her. She’s a kind and talented woman. When you find a good one, you gotta make a move while you still can. You’re a bear. A grizzly. Start acting like one.”
Anderson nodded, a feeling of pride rising in his chest. “You’re right. I’m going to talk to her today. No more standing on the sidelines while life passes me by.”
“Attaboy,” Sawyer said, giving Anderson a hearty slap on the back. “I’m going to be asking you how it went next time I see you, so there’s no backing out now.”
Anderson grinned at Sawyer. As annoying as his best friend could be sometimes, he had to admit that Sawyer really had a good heart and gave solid advice. Anderson could only hope that Sawyer’s advice to go for it was going to pay off in this situation.
Several hours later, Anderson drove to Auntie Grace’s house to pick up Silver and Lexi. When he arrived, he let himself in and was greeted by the smell of freshly baked cookies and the sound of energetic laughter. When he rounded the corner to the kitchen, he found Lexi, Silver, and Auntie Grace all gathered around the kitchen island, wearing aprons and covered in flour. Silver, ever the observant one, was the first to spot him.
“Daddy!” she cried out. “We made five different kinds of cookies.”
“Five different kinds? Wow!” Anderson said, scooping Silver up off the stepstool she had been standing on. He was going to get flour all over his clothes, but he didn’t care. He wanted to cuddle his little girl. He spun her around, eliciting a series of high-pitched squeals and laughter. Then he set her back down and gave her a gentle shove in the direction of the bathroom.
“Go get cleaned up,” he said. “We need to swing by the grocery store and get some food.”
Silver did as she was told, and Anderson turned to face the other two women, who were both watching him with interest.
“You really don’t have to take me to the grocery store,” Lexi said. “If you just give me directions, I’m sure I can walk over myself and get some stuff.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Anderson said. “You don’t have a car here, and I’m not going to make you lug a bunch of grocery bags around. It’s no trouble for me to drive you. Besides, I should really pick up some things myself. Now that Silver is back home, my stockpile of snacks is quickly disappearing. It’s amazing how much food a six-year-old girl can put away.”
Lexi laughed. “Okay. Well, then, I’m going to go wash up, too.” Lexi went to join Silver at the bathroom sink, leaving Anderson alone with Auntie Grace.
“So,” Auntie Grace said, as soon as Lexi had left the room. “When’s the big day?”
“The big day?” Anderson asked, confused.
“The wedding for you and Lexi. I want to put it on my calendar.”
Anderson rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on, Auntie. She’s just a friend. I won’t try to claim I’m not interested in her, but I think asking for a wedding date is getting a little ahead of the game, here. For all I know, she’s not even interested in me.”
Auntie Grace laughed so hard that she snorted. “Oh, she’s interested, all right. It would take an idiot to miss the way she looks at you. Or the way you look at her. Besides, the two of you don’t stand a chance of staying apart, what with that little girl of
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