Page 73 of Child of Mine

“I could tell her that I want to take pictures as a project for story time.”

Even though this might make Bella upset, it does seem like the best plan. “How about I pick you up after lunch? Can you keep your mom home until then?”

“Okay. She doesn’t have to do the play today.”

“Great. I’ll see you later.”

“Okay. Bye, Daddy.”

She hangs up, but the dial tone buzzing in my ears barely registers because all I can hear is the echo of my little girl’s voice in my mind. When Lilah called me “Daddy” in front of that guy Ben the other night, I was so jealous of him that it didn’t really land. Not to mention the fact that we were scrambling to explain ourselves.

But now, all I want is to hear her say it again and again. And to be worthy of the title.

* * *

BELLA

Lilah has been acting strangely all morning. I’m worried that she’s somehow picked up on the fact that we’re having problems with the store because after story time she insists that we need to take pictures for a project for next week’s presentation. I’m not ready to tell her that I don’t even know if there’ll be a story time next week, so I agree to let her use the camera. Thing is, she won’t tell me the project or where she needs to go. All she’ll say is that we have to eat lunch.

My mom waves us off with a sad shake of her head when I ask if she needs any help in the store, so Lilah and I go upstairs and make macaroni and cheese. She doesn’t say anything more about the project, so I figure maybe it was just a passing whim of an idea. After I finish up the dishes and get a load of laundry in, I go looking for her to see if she wants to invite a friend over. I find her back in the bookstore, Henry at her side.

“Um, hi.” There’s a gleam in his eye that has me worried. “Did we—are you taking Lilah somewhere?”

“I’d like to,” he answers with an all-too-innocent grin. “But only if you’ll join us.”

“Please, Mommy! We have a really good surprise!”

So, this is what was going on. The two of them have cooked up something. I gesture overhead. “I just put a load of laundry in, so I think—”

My mom cuts me off. “I can put it in the dryer. You should go.”

I give them all a glare. “Are you guys ganging up on me?”

Henry wince-smiles. “A little bit? But in a good way. I promise.”

I hang on to my irritation for a moment, but then decide, what the heck, spend the afternoon making my girl happy. With her father. How bad can it be?

Quinn and Izzy are uncharacteristically silent.

I have to admit, it’s a relief.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later,we’re stuffed into the cab of Henry’s truck with Ribsy at our feet. He rests his chin on my knee, and I stroke his soft ears. I’ve always been more of a cat person but working with a dog inTwo Gentlemen of Veronawith Ben last year, I got close to a dog for the first time. Puck is one of a kind, but with his big brown eyes, I could see how Ribsy could worm his way into anyone’s heart.

Like dog, like owner.

The smile on Henry’s face as he heads down Storrow Drive toward downtown is the exact same expression he had on his face the night we met. Pure joy. He ruffles Lilah’s hair as they chat, and she snuggles into his side unselfconsciously. How did this closeness develop in just a few short weeks? Is it genetic? Some sort of animal instinct?

Or is it that he’s been putting in real effort to win her over?

He’s definitely done some parenting homework. Just getting into the car, he set clear expectations and reminded her that it’s not safe for her to push all the buttons or try to help him steer. When she kicked the dashboard, obviously full of nervous energy about whatever this surprise is, he just set a hand on her knee and squeezed it once, settling her without losing his temper.

I’m wishing he’d squeeze my knee or ruffle my hair by the time we’ve parked in the lot beneath the Public Garden, but as we emerge into the warm sunshine, I simply enjoy the view. Flowers sway near graceful arches of wrought iron, and sunlight sparkles on the surface of the pond. “Wow. I haven’t been here in a long time.”

“I’ve never been here,” Lilah exclaims.

“You have,” I tell her. “But I guess you were too young to remember. So, is this the big surprise?”

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