Chapter 26

"I was wonderingif you'd like to have dinner at my house tonight," said Amelia, when they had both said goodbye to Tay and walked back over to the Littles' Library. "We have to go through the tunnels, and then take one of the golf carts, but if you're up for it, I'd love to show you my home."

Amelia was trying very hard not to make a big deal out of this proposition, when in fact it was a big deal. A huge one.

Ever since she'd moved into her house on Rawhide Ridge, she'd never had someone come and stay. Not even visit for dinner. She might have made an off the cuff comment a few days ago about doing a scene there, but it hadn't meant that she'd actually been ready to do such a thing.

Now though, now she wanted to show Mandi her home, small though it was.

"I'd love that!" Mandi said, eyes shining. "And maybe we could cook together?"

"I've actually got something prepared; if you like curry, that is?"

Mandi clapped her hands in delight. "Yes, yes, yes. That sounds delicious! Head over straight after the library closes?"

"Indeed."

The next four hours dragged by. Amelia was tempted to get up and go see what Mandi was doing almost every other moment. But she had her own work to do and set about updating the system with new books that had recently arrived, scanning them, and placing them on the trolley, ready for shelving.

Next she supervised a relatively rowdy game of Monopoly, keeping a close eye on a fairly mutinous-looking Sadie, who lost in spectacular fashion, and finished off the afternoon with straightening up.

She didn't usually finish until seven, but Derek had adjusted the library hours this week, to take into account the fact that had Mandi in her charge, but she knew it wouldn't last when Mandi moved onto the Ranch permanently. She'd already talked it through with Derek. She'd still open at nine in the morning, but finish earlier, around five; and Mandi would start at eleven and stay until closing, including at seven on the library's late opening days when it was usually quieter anyway. That way she'd be able to cook dinner for her Little girl each evening. And they'd both get Sundays off, and if people wanted to order books, games or art supplies, they'd do what they did now, which was to order them via room service. The concierge team knew where everything was, and if something seemed to be missing, they'd email her and she'd deal with it on Monday.

It was a sound plan of action, and one that not only gave her more time off in the evenings but had built into it the fact she was starting to want to do something outside of work.

Something?

Make that someone.

But all jokes aside, she really did value the time she got with Mandi, and she wanted the evening to reflect that.

She sent Mandi off to pack an overnight bag—just in case—and waited for her patiently by the elevators.

Amelia felt surprisingly nervous. Her home was small, but it was hers. She'd decorated it simply, with wooden furniture and small pieces of art, and she hoped beyond hope that Mandi liked it.

Mandi certainly liked the golf cart ride, making silly zoom-y noises happily the whole ride, and then when they arrived outside Amelia's home, Amelia could tell by her happy wiggles that she liked that too.

It was a simple house, in the log-cabin style, with a small, fenced garden out the back, and lawn with flowers in the front.

"Oh," Mandi breathed. "Isn't it pretty!"

Hiding her pleasure behind gruffness, Amelia said, "Yeah, it's okay."

"Mommy! It's not just okay, look at your flowers! You have daisies everywhere."

Usually, Amelia cursed the darn daisies that seemed to overtake every square inch of her front lawn, but Mandi was so enchanted by them that she forgave them immediately.

Opening the front door, Mandi was instantly entranced by the ladder that led to the loft.

"What's up there, Mommy?" she asked.

"Oh, that's where I sleep."

Wide-eyed, Mandi went for the ladder first and, head and shoulders disappearing, called down, "You can see the stars!"

"That was the idea," said Amelia. It had actually been the detail that had sold her on the house in the first place. She really did need to take Derek up on his offer to sell it to her, instead of just renting it to her. "Would you like the grand tour?"

There were only a few rooms: a kitchen, looking as rustic as ever a kitchen looked, but with excellent appliances, including a dishwasher, because Amelia hated washing dishes; a bathroom with bath and shower, though not as grandiose as the one in Mandi's suite; a second bedroom, which Amelia used as a backup study; and the living room, which was where she spent most of her time.

There was a fireplace, which she set to lighting as they walked in. "Why don't you settle on the couch there, petal, and warm yourself under a blanket, while I get this fire going. And then I can get dinner on."

Mandi nodded, looking around. "It's really cozy, Mommy. I like all the autumnal colors."

"I'm glad, babygirl," she said. She'd designed it for herself, never expecting to find the Little of her dreams, but now that she had, she was glad Mandi loved her home too. It bode well for their possible future.

Dinner was quite satisfactory, although from the noises Mandi made while eating, anyone would've thought that Amelia had cooked up an entire banquet for the two of them.

"What would you like to do now, babygirl?" asked Amelia, when the dishes had been cleared away, and everything was quiet.

"I'd like for you to make love to me," said Mandi, her shy frankness endearing. "If that's okay?"

"Here?"

"Here," she said. "Make love to me by the fire."