Leah gave a nod to concede that it was true. “Especially when it was an insult.” She wasn’t and hadn’t been above lying now and again. Everybody lied at some point in time. When it mattered, though, or when she was trying to be spiteful, she was brutally honest.
“I’m sure she’ll learn to use that against me as she gets older.” She shrugged her eyebrows. If that happened, she probably would be too affected by the cute factor to reprimand Marigold too much. But that was a hurdle Leah didn’t have to approach just yet. “Will you save me if I fall victim to the cuteness?” She asked him.
Leah chewed her lip thoughtfully. It was possible. Leah didn’t really know how much time Alghren had spent with Marigold while in the facility. Hours, days. She hadn’t bothered to ask, for fear that whatever bond Alghren had formed with Marigold would be stronger than the one Leah wanted. “Nope. It’s all out there for everyone to see and comment on.” Spoken a bit more sharply than she intended. Leah cleared her throat. She wasn’t trying to sound jealous or even hateful. Both of those feelings were starting to fade. “That’s her choice, though. Me, I never liked the idea of people seeing how fat I was getting.”
Patient. Maybe too patient sometimes. The word shortchanged bounced around her head again. She never wanted to make him feel that way again. “In that case, I promise I’ll make it worth it every time we get the chance.” She leaned over to kiss him again. “Because you deserve that and you’re worth it.”
“Look, Mommy! I made castle pretty!”
Marigold’s excited voice burst the bubble that was an intimate moment, and Leah let out a small sigh as she turned her attention back to her daughter and the sandcastle. “It’s very pretty, my love. You did a great job.”