A Daddy By Christmas. Teri Wilson

fiercely independent, brimming with confidence. Anders chalked it up to her Manhattan upbringing, but she was still just a child—a child who’d lost her mom and dad.

      He should have waited another week or two. Better yet, he should have thrown that crazy schedule out the window and never come here.

      But when Anders crouched down and peeled her slender arms from his legs, intent on scooping her up and walking out the door, she turned her back on him and gazed up at Chloe.

      “Are you my teacher? I’ve never seen you here before,” she said.

      Chloe bent down so she was at eye level with Lolly. “I’m new.” She pulled a face. “Sort of.”

      “Is that you on the picture outside?” Lolly pointed toward the lobby.

      Of course Anders had noticed the framed poster of Chloe in her flirty Santa costume and silver tap shoes, along with the multitude of surrounding photographs from her performances with the Rockettes. It would have been impossible not to. Even if he’d somehow missed it, Lolly’s reaction would have clued him in.

      She’d looked at the poster with stars in her eyes as they’d walked past, and she’d apparently just realized the beautiful dancer from the picture was here in the flesh, standing in the same room.

      “That’s me,” Chloe said brightly.

      “You look like a Christmas princess.” Lolly tilted her head and looked Chloe up and down. “Are you a Christmas princess?”

      And just like that, Anders was in over his head. He hadn’t even formulated a Santa Claus plan yet, much less given any thought to princesses and fairy tales and storybook endings. How on earth was he going to raise a little girl?

      Hell, maybe his brother had been right when he’d added the marriage clause to the guardianship paragraph in his will. Anders didn’t know the first thing about being a dad.

      “Not exactly,” Chloe said. And before Lolly’s face could fall, she added, “Christmas is a magical time, though. Just like a real-life fairy tale. And you know what? The ballet we’re putting together for Christmas Eve has all sorts of wonderful parts—fairies, dancing snowflakes and even a few snow queens.”