Page 36 of I'm Yours

Chapter Ten

Reed

“Ready, Emmy?” I peek into her bedroom and smile. Her hair is a disaster but she could not be cuter in her light pink leotard with the short little skirt. She’s holding a giant stuffed teddy bear and dancing around in circles, giggling and so happy. There’s no music playing. She doesn’t need it. And fuck if that doesn’t make my night. I don’t want to interrupt her dance party but she has her first dance class in twenty minutes and it takes ten minutes to get to the studio.

“Emmy.” I say her name again because she’s lost inEmmy World.Her little head turns my way and she grins.

“Hi, Daddy. I’m practicing and getting warmed up for dance class.”

“I see that. You’re pretty good. Sure you even need to go to these classes?”

“Daddy!”

“Emmy!”

“Ineedto learn ballet. And jazz. And tap!”

She’s been talking to her grandma too much.

“Then we better get going.”

She drops the teddy bear without a second thought and takes off down the hall, her little feet thumping on the hardwood as she thunders down the stairs as fast as her little feet can carry her. My parents ask her if she’s ready and the answer is an excited squeal.

I’m sliding my black cap on my head, pulling it down low when I get to the kitchen. I grab Emmy around the waist and lift her up, flipping her over my shoulder. “Daddy!” She giggles and it’s the best sound in the entire world.

“You guys hear something? Sounds like a little mouse somewhere in the kitchen.” I twist and turn like I have no idea where the sound is coming from while I hold on to the back of Emmy’s legs. Her arms cling to my back and her laughter fills the small space. My parents are watching us with smiles on their faces.

“I don’t hear a thing,” Dad jokes.

“Papa!” Emmy shrieks.

I whip my head in her direction like I’m surprised to find her on my shoulder. “Emmy? Is that you?”

I flip her down from my shoulder and set her on her feet and she brushes her mop of hair out of her face.

“Are you ready yet?”

“Daddy! Of course I’m ready!”

“Oh, you are? I’ve been standing around waiting on you forever.”

She laughs again and hugs her grandparents goodbye before we head out to my pickup and she climbs in, buckling herself up and letting me know that she’s anxiously waiting for me to drive her to her dream.

Her mouth never stops the entire drive to Lakeside Dance Studio and for that, I’m grateful. I know that I’ll see Sadie for the first time since we talked in the field and unfortunately for me, I’m kind of nervous. The way I responded to seeing her makes me feel guilty. Katherine hasn’t even been gone a year and I’m already looking at other women? What kind of asshole am I?

I guess if I had to defend myself, I’d say it’s not women, but one woman in particular, and she’s a woman who I’m afraid always has and always will have a hold on part of my heart. I’m in a hell of a lot of trouble here.

The parking lot is full when we arrive at the dance studio but we’re still able to find a spot to park. I look back at Emmy who’s suddenly gone very quiet. “You okay?”

She nods but doesn’t say anything.

“Nervous?” I guess.

The worried look on her face breaks my heart but doesn’t come as a surprise. Emmy is full of confidence but she’s still a five-year-old who has her moments of worry. And stepping into a new situation has her excited nervous.

“A little,” she admits, holding her hands together tightly.

I get out and open her door, leaning my elbows on the edge of her car seat. I don’t know if what I’m about to tell Emmy is a mistake or not, but I’d do anything to take away the scared expression on her face. It’s like when she wanted to sit on Santa’s lap at the mall. She didn’t want to be disappointed after weeks of build up. “Did you know that your new dance teacher and I used to be best friends?”

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