Claiming His Unexpected Baby (Assassins Guild #2) - Michelle Howard Page 0,26

her direction.

Amelie shook her head in dazed confusion as thoughts of the impossible ran through her mind. He and Fleur had been carrying on a conversation without her hearing a single word. “What?”

“Fleur wants something called curlies and said you don’t have any more at home.”

A snort escaped and Amelie gave her daughter a mock glare, which was met with an unremorseful grin. Amelie faced Sulen. “There’s an eatery that just so happens to serve a certain person’s favorite food. We can walk there.”

During the all too short trip, the idea building in her mind refused to quit and Amelie knew she’d have to have a serious conversation with Scarlett to see if what she was envisioning was improbable.

Chapter 10

When they arrived at the quaint eatery, Fleur was greeted like a person of great import. From Sulen’s arms, she reigned over the staff, waving and calling out greetings which were enthusiastically returned from the entrance all the way to their table nestled in a small corner.

Amelie slid in one side of the bench and Sulen slid across from her and sat Fleur beside him. Her daughter’s continued traitorous behavior drew a bit of humor from Amelie and she rolled her eyes when the imp smothered a giggle and bounced about the padded bench.

“I take it you’ve eaten here before.”

Chuckling at Sulen’s statement of the obvious, Amelie glanced around the familiar décor. A’shar’s was owned by a Dorian male mated to a Gerelin woman he met and bonded with twenty years ago. They’d settled here and to get to know the community, he’d opened this small place, serving cuisine from his native world. Thus the curlies Fleur loved.

“We’ve been here a time or two,” she answered.

“We come lots. Mommy likes it here.” Fleur climbed to her knees and peered over the high back of the booth to wave, then turned around and sat back down.

Amelie couldn’t see who her daughter greeted but it wasn’t unusual. “The staff here really like Fleur.”

Leaning his forearms on the table, Sulen arched a brow, encouraging her to continue.

Amelie didn’t have a problem sharing the story. It was a pleasant memory for her though at the time she’d been at her wit’s end. “A few months after I had Fleur, I became the new owner of the garden center. I’d never run a business before and didn’t have employees and couldn’t afford time off.”

She could see the thought forming and rushed to add, “The new parent pay accord didn’t get passed until a year later. So anyway, here I was exhausted from a long day at work and desperately wanting something quick to eat. I took Fleur with me to work every day because I didn’t have money for her care and the only person I knew at the time was my best friend who had a pretty hectic schedule too.”

“Any Gerelin would have stood for you, offering care or relief if you’d asked.” Sulen spoke in a calm voice but his mouth tightened, showing his frustration.

“I know that now.” Amelie paused in her story to let Roktok, the staff member, bring them glasses of water and a fruit juice for Fleur. “I’ll have my usual.”

Sulen hesitated, an expression she couldn’t read flashing over his face before he said, “Give me double the portion of whatever you bring her.”

He was in for quite a surprise but Amelie didn’t say anything.

“And you, Fleur?” Roktok asked, giving her his full attention as if he didn’t already know.

“I’d like nidbits and curlies, please.” No longer bouncing around, she scribbled on the electronic screen built into the table’s surface with a colored wand. The screen was the only one in the entire restaurant and designed strictly to entertain her daughter when they came here.

“Of course.”

“Thank you!” she chimed loudly as Roktok walked away, causing several people to laugh.

Curling her lips up, Amelie acknowledged his questioning glance. He wasn’t impatient, merely waited for her to finish her story. “I came here after a really grueling day. I barely managed to order without sobbing. I guess the staff mentioned it to the owner when they put my order in.

One minute I’m drowning in tears and the next this huge gregarious man comes by and snags Fleur from me to rock her in his arms and sing until she falls asleep. I could have kissed him for those moments of blissful silence.”

“And I would have welcomed it.”

They jerked at the brash voice coming toward them. Sulen was on his feet, his coat pushed