She’s my best friend.”
Charlotte couldn’t help but marvel at how perfectly Lourdes enunciated each word. There was no baby talk. Her father had called Charlotte constantly with anecdotes about how verbal and precocious Lourdes was. Charlotte found it to be true. It hadn’t been her brother’s wishful thinking; Lourdes really was extremely verbal and her comprehension blew Charlotte away.
She caught the little girl and swung her around. “I love it here, too, baby. And Bella is the best.” What could she say? It was all true.
“Can we stay? I want to stay.”
She glanced at Genevieve, who had gone very still, and then at Tariq, who was striding toward them, Bella on his shoulders. He was tall and powerful although he wore his suit like a model. Perfection. She had committed to him. It felt like that, as if she was totally bonded to him. Connected.
You gave me your word that you would try us. That we had a beginning.
She nodded. She wanted that beginning with him. She hoped for a future with him. Right here, on this amazing piece of property. Genevieve’s face told her it was too soon. Too fast. But that she’d support Charlotte’s decision.
“Yes, honey, I think we’re going to stay for a while.”
“Bella has a cool house and a brother and two sisters. When am I going to get a brother or sister?”
“That may take a little time,” Charlotte hedged, blushing for no reason. If she was going to continue to burn in paradise with Tariq, she needed to be responsible and get on birth control. Not that she would mind having his baby. A child with his hair and eyes. She could go for that. Just not now. Not when their beginning was so new.
But a child would be with her long after he left her, a little voice whispered to her. She knew she would have him for a while. Maybe even a long while, but eventually, he would leave her and find another woman. One that suited him better. A woman like Genevieve. Tall. Model thin. Glossy straight hair. A face that any photographer would fall to his knees and worship.
I prefer short with lots of soft curves. I love long, wild hair that goes on forever and shows me just how wild my woman can be. I love every single thing about you, although we need to work a little on your confidence. You are my woman. My choice. I am your man. Your choice. You never have to worry that I will leave you. At this point, I don’t have that same assurance. Your fear that you may be making a mistake actually makes me feel off-balance and vulnerable. Both emotions I have never felt.
He stood in front of her, Bella on his shoulders, the child waving and shouting at Lourdes, her face lit up and happy. Tariq smiled at Lourdes. “I thank you for being a good friend to Bella. She was very sad for a while and now you have made her happy again. See . . .” He gestured toward the gatehouse where Bella’s brother, Danny, and her two sisters, Amelia and Liv, had come out and were working their way toward them. “Her brother and sisters cannot believe she is once again laughing. We thought, for a short time, we had lost that.”
Lourdes frowned, trying to process what he said. “Bella likes to laugh. So do I.”
“We like to hear you laugh,” he assured her.
Lourdes, Genevieve and Charlotte had slept all day. Charlotte had put it down to the fact that they’d been up all night, but the three older children approaching them looked as if they’d just gotten up and showered. Maybe because Tariq was so charismatic those on his property kept his hours.
Tariq reached for her hand as the three siblings arrived. “I’d like you to meet Charlotte and Genevieve, Charlotte’s good friend. You’ve already met Lourdes this evening. Danny, did you eat? I sent dinner for the four of you, but Bella said she didn’t eat.” Tariq’s voice was man-to-man.
Clearly Tariq regarded Danny as the head of his family. The boy was fifteen years old, the girls younger, so Charlotte was going to give Tariq that for the moment, but why were they living in a house by themselves? Why weren’t they in the main house with Tariq? They were too young to be without supervision. She was going to address that as soon as possible. It wasn’t even legal.
“It’s been difficult to get