Page 39 of Starcrossed Colorado

“Yep. Nice to see you, Elias.” Now she was grinning at him, and I didn’t like that as much.

“All right, we’re holding up the line. Let’s order.”

“He’s just a ray of sunshine isn’t he?” Elias joked, still focused on Emma.

“He has his moments.”

“Ashford, I’ve got a Peaches and Cream Ale on tap. My latest brew made with Palisade Peaches. Do you want an 18-ounce? Or just a pint?”

I glared. Elias knew I hated fruit in my beer. He thought he was funny.

We ordered burgers, a kid’s meal for Maisie, plus a sampler platter of tater tots and three chocolate shakes. I was going to need an extra-long session at the gym tomorrow. Did Emmawork out? She had to. I leaned back, gaze sneaking down toward her ass in those shorts. When I looked up, Elias was giving me a smug, closed-mouth smile.

“Don’t say it,” I muttered as I swiped my debit card.

“Not saying anything. Callum told me how you jumped down his throat. I’d rather stay on your good side.” He handed me a number for our table, and we went out to the patio to find an open spot. Maisie went straight to Stella, showering her with hugs and pets since they’d been away from each other for ten minutes.

“What happened with Callum?” Emma asked as we sat down. “I seem to remember Maisie saying you called him a D-word.”

I bit back a smile. “Dumbass. As in, my brother couldn’t keep his dumbass opinions to himself.” I wasn’t even mad at him anymore. He’d made some decent points, now that I had distance from that conversation. Even though he was still wrong overall. I found Emma attractive, but that was the end of it. “Callum doesn’t know when to shut his mouth. But we’ll probably make up by tomorrow.”

“You have another brother, right? Callum mentioned him the other night.”

Which was a topic I liked even less. But at the same time, I didn’t mind telling her. “Grayden is the oldest. He’s not in our lives anymore. Not since he was courtmartialed by the Army, got handed a dishonorable discharge, and went to prison.”

There wasn’t any sugar-coating my brother’s fall.

“Oh. Wow. I don’t blame you.”

“I prefer not to discuss him in front of Maisie.”

“No problem. I won’t mention him.”

My daughter ran back over to us, wiping her now-messy hair from her face. “Daddy, can I play with those kids?” She pointed at a small group that had gathered around the dog.

“After we eat, okay?”

“Hey, I’ve got something for you,” Emma said, pre-empting Maisie’s protests. She pulled the unicorn notebook from her bag and set it on the table.

I nodded when Maisie looked to me for permission. She picked up the notebook, marveling at the shiny designs on the cover. “What is it?”

“Your very own notebook, but not just any notebook. This one is special. It’s a journal. A place for you to write things down, or draw, or anything you like. A place to hold all the treasures inside you that want to come out.”

Maisie’s mouth dropped open in awe. “I have treasures inside me?”

“You do. Everybody does, if they know where to look.”

“Even Daddy?” Maisie giggled. “He gets really mad when he can’t find things.”

“Even him.” Emma’s blue eyes slid to me, her head tilting. “Do you need a journal, Ashford? I can get another unicorn one.”

“I’m good, thanks.”

Maisie wanted to start on her journal right away, so Emma gave her a pen. The food arrived soon after, and I had to confiscate the notebook for a little while to make my kid eat, even though Flamethrower burgers and tots were the pinnacle of cuisine in her opinion.

“I want my journal to be just like yours, Emma,” Maisie announced, cheeks full of tots. “You must have lots of treasures in you because you’re so shiny.”

Emma set down her burger. “That is the sweetest thing anyone’s said to me. Thank you.”

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