Chapter 18

“For the minute?” one of the regulars asked. “What, you going to return her and swap her?”

“Nope, but you never know what they grow up to be,” Erik said easily.

Beatriz started to make a warning sort of whimper, the tell-tale gearing up to a full wail, and Erik crooned as he carefully lifted her out and rested her against his shoulder. She brightened a little there, less unsure of all these strangers from her father’s arms.

“We called her Beatriz,” he said, carefully trying to say it right.

“Bayatrith?”Lizzy echoed. “That’s a weird name.”

“It’s the Spanish version of Beatrice.”

“Aww. Can I hold her?”

Erik glanced down. Beatriz’s face was screwed up in her most stubborn expression.

“I think she might bring the roof down,” he admitted. “Give her ten minutes? She seems to like weighing people up before getting a cuddle out of them.”