Free Caitlyn and the Alien Protector (Intergalactic Brides 7) by Jessica Coulter Smith

asked.
    “That’s the first time she’s gone to the bathroom since she came here. She’s never asked me once and it never occurred to me that I needed to ask. She’s behind, isn’t she?”
    “In some aspects, she’s behind. She should be talking a little more and she should be potty trained by now. But I’m not an expert on kids, that’s just from what I’ve observed from being around my friends’ kids, so she may be just fine. You should really make an appointment with a pediatrician. What if she hasn’t had her shots yet? Do you even know if her mother ever took her to a doctor?”
    He shook his head.
    “How could I have been so stupid to create a child with a woman like that?” he asked. “I don’t regret Katy because she’s wonderful, but why did her mother have to be so selfish? When I took her shopping that first night, she picked out one single toy at the store. It was like she was afraid to pick too many things. I had to wonder if she’d ever been in a toy store before. Had she had any toys at home? None came with her, not even a stuffed bear.”
    “Cosmir, you can’t blame yourself. I’m guessing Katy wasn’t planned since you didn’t know about her until now.”
    “No, she wasn’t. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want her. I’d have taken her the day she was born if someone had let me know about her.”
    “You can’t change Katy’s past, but you can give her a bright future. You’re wonderful with her and it’s clear that she adores you. If she’s never had a lot of attention before, then she probably thinks this is heaven. She went from a mother who didn’t care to a father who loves her. And that’s all she really needs. Love.”
    “What she needs is a mother. I always thought I would find a mate when the time was right, but what if it’s years before someone wants to be a part of our lives? Is that fair to Katy?”
    Caitlyn ran her hand down his arm and laced their fingers together. “What’s not fair is saddling Katy with a mom who doesn’t love you. She doesn’t seem to mind that she doesn’t have a mother at the moment. Don’t run out and shop for a mother for her when she’s perfectly content right now.”
    He sighed. “I’m just worried that I’m going to mess everything up. I know nothing about children. She deserves better.”
    “One day at a time, Cosmir. Let’s start by calling the doctor tomorrow and getting her an appointment.”
    “She’ll have to go the Terran station to see the doctor there. A human doctor won’t be able to help her. Our outward appearance may be similar to a human’s, but our insides are a bit different. And I’m not sure she needs all of the shots human children get, but the doctor at the Terran station will know what to do. He may even be able to reach out to the doctor where Katy was born and find out if she’s ever been seen before.”
    “Then we’ll call tomorrow and set up an appointment for her. I’m sure I can find the place if I need to take her while you’re working. This is your two days ‘on’ rotation?”
    He nodded.
    “I don’t mind taking her to the doctor. And if you need any grocery shopping done or need more things for Katy, I can take care of that too. I don’t want you to worry about her while you’re at work, or worry that things aren’t being taken care of here at home.”
    “I like that.” He smiled.
    “Like what?”
    “You called this home. It felt right.”
    She had to admit that she felt the same way. His home was cozy and she could easily see herself spending a lot time here. How much work she’d get done was a slight concern, but she’d figure it out along the way. If she had to stay up late to work on editing projects and tackle the graphics while Katy napped, then that’s what she would do. And it wasn’t like she couldn’t carry her laptop from room to room. Just because Cosmir had offered her the desk, didn’t mean she had to work there all the time.
    “You should probably