Page 48 of The Right Woman

She slaps my bicep. “Avery and Odin are in the kitchen!”

“I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen you embarrassed.”

Her eyes fall closed as she cringes. “I guess I just don’t want them to think bad about me. Honestly, I don’t give a fuck about Rhodes and Eli and Essa. Just your kids.”

“They love you,” I assure her.

She slinks by me and runs her hands through her short, pink locks, then pulls on her dress. Giving me her back, I know she’s trying to hide from me like she does. So I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her little body, pressing my lips to her bare shoulder. “They do. And so do I.”

As she flips around, there’s a bit of panic in her eyes. “I feel like I’m not good enough for them… For, you know.”

My big palms brush back her hair, and I can’t help a smile that comes over my face. It’s almost as if she’s considered being a permanent part of our lives. Just where I want her.

“You are. You’re perfect the way you are, Piper. No one can do you better. We miss you when you’re not around, you know that?” I tap the end of her nose, and she smiles again, but throws her hands on her hips and gives me a scolding brow.

“I’m not moving in.”

Wandering away from her, I tug on some boxers and jeans. “Not yet…”

When we get downstairs, my family gathers around the kitchen table and sings “Happy Birthday” to my girl. Her eyes light up as I join in, and her best friend grabs her in a hug. Averyeven bops on her toes excitedly before shoving a hastily wrapped present at her.

“I bought this for you!”

“Me? Oh my god, Avery. You didn’t have to!” Piper’s shaky fingers dig into the gift with reckless abandon.

Avery snorts. “I wanted to!”

I toss an arm around my daughter’s shoulders and give her a kiss on her head. “Love you.”

She gives me a side hug and looks up at me with those big eyes. “I love you, too, Dad.”

“This is amazing! Thank you so much! From the library of Piper Hendricks…” She reads off on the embosser. I know that Emily helped the kids pick it out, and for that, I’m even more grateful. Just seeing the joy on my girl’s face, and knowing that my family helped put it there, makes my heart warm.

“Where’s your present to her, Adon?” Eli asks, shoving a huge bite of pizza in his mouth.

Piper’s cheeks flame pink to match her hair.

“Don’t worry about that,” I say, then kiss the top of her head. “I’ve got something for her. It’s private.”

Essa’s eyes sparkle as she gives me an approving nod, but Piper seems to pull away. Like she feels uncomfortable with the attention, which issonot like her.

I keep my observations to myself as we finish up the party, but by the time everyone leaves and the kids head out with Emily, Piper’s attitude is dark and gloomy.

Scooping up a piece of birthday cake, I hold the fork out for her to take a bite. “Talk to me. What’s going on? You seem like you just had the worst birthday ever.”

She takes the bite with a sigh, but then grabs her denim coat. “No. It was amazing, really.”

“Well, I still need to give you your gift.”

“Adon…you don’t need to get me anything.”

“I want to.”

Shrugging on her coat, she grabs her crochet purse. Since she’s been staying with me all week, most of her stuff is up in the bedroom and bathroom. “I should go home.”

I reach over the kitchen island and stroke her cheek. “Rosy, what’s going on?”

“It’s just a lot. We’re moving fast, and I…”

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