Page 16 of Keeping Caroline

“Phantom’s Pancakes?” I suggested playfully.

She scrunched her nose but then giggled just a little. “I dunno. Maybe you could use your super spy powers to give people whatever they want.”

Cock turning hard almost instantly, I was glad Evie had moved from beneath the table and was standing at the kitchen counter where Houdini had jumped onto the windowsill. I held Caroline’s stare, taking a sip of my coffee. “Nah. I’d rather use my special powers on truly special people.”

Caroline’s eyes lit up with mirth as she faked a laugh. “Well, Scarlett and Ethan are tied up at their store today, so how about a little adventure with Evie and me?”

The side of my lips lifted in a grin. “An adventure sounds perfect.”

As we walked down the leaf-littered sidewalk of downtown toward the park, Evie skipped ahead, her jubilant spirit seemingly unscarred by everything she’d gone through. Caroline and I fell into steps beside each other, the floral scent of her shampoo nearly making my eyes roll back in my head. There was something about that damn floral shampoo that turned me on, or maybe it was just her. To be honest, it was all her. Either way, being beside her tethered me to the moment, and there was nowhere I would have rather been.

“Mr. Tristan, are you good at pushing swings?” Evie’s question grabbed my attention, her bright eyes fixed on mine as they waited for a response.

“I guess we’ll find out.” My conspiratorial wink earned a giggle before Evie turned back around and continued to skip toward the playground.

“Thank you for this,” I murmured, unsure if I was thanking her for the invitation or something deeper—perhaps the chance to be a part of something resembling normalcy.

Her hand brushed against mine as she turned up to flash me one of those stunning smiles, sending a zing of electricity through me. For a moment, I wondered what she would have thought if I held her hand. I’d only just met her, but still I wanted to.

“Thank you for being here,” she replied, reaching out to help Evie open the gate to the park. “I was probably overreacting last night, but I still appreciate you not doubting me even when I was doubting myself.”

The park was alive with the vibrant colors of spring, flowers blooming and filling the well-manicured play area with color. Evie’s laughter filled the air like a melody, her small figure darting toward the swings with an infectious excitement that brought a smile to my lips. I followed her, standing behind her to push her swing once she climbed on.

“Higher, Super Spy Tristan!” she squealed as I pushed her forward, each soaring arc of the swing accompanied by her gleeful laughter. She kicked her legs with wild abandon, propelling herself toward the sky, and for a moment I found myself envying her unfettered spirit. Even with all she’d suffered, she’d somehow been able to just let it all go, or at least she was exceptionally good at compartmentalizing. I only wished I could be so good at pushing things to the back of my mind.

Caroline stood nearby, the smile on her face telling me how much it meant to her to see Evie on the mend, but I never missed the emotions that shadowed her eyes—those she refused to let come to the surface.

“Let’s go slide!” Before the swing even slowed to a stop, Evie was off, darting toward the slide several feet away. We followed behind, watching as she climbed the steps and slid down, giggling the entire way.

“Your turn, Super Spy Tristan,” Caroline teased, bumping me with her shoulder.

I hesitated for only a moment, wondering if I was too big to even attempt such a thing, but when I looked at Evie’s expectant face, something within me shifted. It wasn’t just about letting go, it was about embracing the here and now, about being part of a memory that would be cherished long after the day faded.

So, too big or not, I climbed the steps, taking a few at a time with my tall stature. When I reached the top, I paused, looked down at the slide that seemed a lot taller than it appeared from the ground. But then, Evie’s excited cheers and Caroline’s encouraging smile spurred me on, and I released my grip on control, allowing gravity to take over.

The wind rushed past me, a fleeting escape from reality, and for those few seconds, I was free—free from the ghosts of my past, free from the chains of my isolation. When I landed with a thud, their laughter enveloped me, reminding me that joy could be found in the simplest of actions, especially when you had others to share those moments with.

“Again! Again!” Evie chanted. So, we went again and again. All three of us.

The sun was descending behind the mountains as we made our way back to Caroline’s cottage later that afternoon. My heart felt lighter than it had in years, the warmth of the afternoon’s laughter still lingering in my chest as we stepped inside.

“Do you want to play a game, Mr. Tristan?” Evie stared up at me, her eyes shining with anticipation. Even after a long day, she was still full of energy.

“Sounds like a perfect plan,” I replied, allowing her to lead me toward the shelf where an array of colorful boxes awaited us.

Ultimately, she settled on Monopoly, although Caroline and I both knew the game took no less than days to play. When the time came, I intended to volunteer myself to accidentally bump into the table and knock the board over.

“Who will you be, Mr. Tristan?” Evie asked, holding out the tiny metal figurines for me to choose from.

“Ah, the car.” Taking the tiny metal car from her, I placed it on the board. “Reminds me of my first classic car, a beat-up old thing but it kept me moving.”

“Nice choice,” Caroline chimed in, her grin mischievous as she claimed the thimble. “Be prepared to lose, though. I’m a Monopoly master.”

“Is that a challenge?” I raised an eyebrow, a competitive spark igniting within me. It was a side of myself I hadn’t shown in quite some time—a side I’d almost forgotten existed.

“Bring it on, Phantom.”

Chapter 11

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