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Layla looked up from her pancakes with a frown on her face. “You don’t think they’ll move there, do you? Amelia said she really likes it here. Better than where they lived before.”
“I don’t think Blake is planning to move there,” Charli said, hoping she wasn’t wrong. “They just went to spend a few days with his family.”
“I hope they don’t go for Christmas. I want to spend Christmas with Amelia.”
“We’ll have to see.” Charli didn’t want to commit to anything until she and Blake had a conversation about it.
What she did know was if they were going to spend the holiday together, she wanted it to be with them having gone public about their relationship. Although the very idea of that brought flutters to life in her stomach.
Layla gestured to the tray. “Take a picture of this and send it to Uncle Blake for Amelia to see.”
“Here.” Charli handed over her phone. “Take it the way you want it.”
Layla took the phone from her and proceeded to take several photos, each from a different angle. When she was done, she looked through them before she showed Charli which one she wanted her to send.
Layla and Will made breakfast in bed for Janessa and me. Layla wanted me to send a picture for Amelia to see.
After she sent the picture, she set the phone down and picked up her mug of coffee. “Good job. Everything tastes great.”
Layla beamed. “Uncle Will didn’t even have to help me very much.”
Though it felt like Layla was growing up too fast, Charli also really liked her at this age. They could hold meaningful conversations, but also still have a lot of fun together.
There was a meaningful conversation she needed to have with Layla soon. Preferably before she and Blake went public with news of their dating.
“Would you have a problem if I dated someone?” Charli asked just as her daughter took a bite of pancake.
Layla looked up at her, eyebrows raised and chewing as fast as possible. After she swallowed, she said, “You want to date someone?”
“Maybe?” Charli said, then let out a little sigh. “Yes. I want to date someone.”
“Who?”
Charli hesitated, knowing that she was at the line that once crossed, there would be no going back. This was what Blake wanted. He’d agreed to take things slow because it was what she wanted. He’d be happy to hear she’d talked to Layla about it.
“Blake.”
Layla’s mouth dropped open as she stared at Charli. “For real? Did he ask you on a date?”
“We’ve already been on one date, and we’ve been talking to each other a lot.”
“Does anyone know?”
“Janessa and the others know we went on the date because they set it up. But you’re the only one who knows we’ve continued to talk after the date.”
A smile filled Layla’s face. “He’s nice. I mean, Amelia loves him, so I think he must be a good guy.”
A few months ago, Charli wouldn’t have been so inclined to agree. However, seeing the man he was now, and having heard his explanation for what had happened, she was willing to let go of their painful past to try to build something in the future.
“He is a good guy,” Charli agreed.
“Amelia is going to be so excited you’re dating. She told me she was praying that would happen.”
“Really?”
“Yep. She’s praying that we can be a family.”
Charli wondered if Blake was aware of what his daughter was praying for. It seemed that they both had a similar desire for a future for them all to be together.
