Page 107 of Chasing Shelter

“That’s what she said,” Ellie mumbled so only I could hear.

My lips pressed into a hard line as I struggled to keep from laughing. “I promise I will do my best.”

“That’s all we can do,” Keely said sagely.

“Just let me go change real quick.” Ellie headed for the door. “Good to see you, Leah.”

I had to admit, she made the lie sound warm. I forced my gaze to my ex and found her face a blank mask. “Thanks for handling pickup today.”

“No problem. You’re obviously…busy.”

It was meant to be a jab, but I didn’t let her pull me into the back-and-forth we often got stuck in. “I was, so I appreciate it. Always happy to return the favor if you’ve got something going on.”

Confusion bled through Leah’s mask. “Yeah, sure.” She turned to Keely. “See you tomorrow, okay? I’ll pick you up and take you to piano.”

Keely’s face scrunched, making her distaste for her piano lessons clear, but she nodded. “‘Kay.”

“Love you lots,” Leah said.

“Love you, too,” Keely echoed.

Leah didn’t leave right away, and I got it. When you had a kid, this was the hard stuff that came with divorce. Leaving them to go back to an empty house hurt like hell. It was on the tip of my tongue to invite her in for dinner, but we weren’t there. Not yet. But I wanted us to be. Friends.

After everything that had happened, I’d thought it would be impossible. But having Ellie in my life had made me see things in a different light. Realize that things could be messy yet still beautiful and happen in all sorts of unexpected ways.

Leah made herself start walking. “Goodnight, Trace.”

“Get home safe,” I called.

Something passed over Leah’s face. Wistfulness, maybe? But she didn’t say anything, simply nodded and moved to her car.

“Hey, Daddy?”

“Yeah, Keels?”

“If you grew your hair out, I could practice braids on you, too.”

“Okay,Chief. Do those hand stretches. I know how those big fingers can get in the way,” Ellie said with a wink.

I sent her a scathing look as I lowered myself to the couch in my living room. “You sound like Lolli.”

“Supergran and Ellie are meant to be besties,” Keely chimed in. “She said she’s making Ellie a super special diamond painting. She was asking me all about Ellie’s favorite things.”

“Dear God, help us for whatever is about to be created,” I muttered.

“That’s not nice, Daddy,” Keely said as she crossed her legs to sit in front of Ellie and me. “Supergran’s paintings are all sparkly and beeeeautiful.”

“And illegal in many states,” I whispered under my breath.

Ellie struggled not to laugh, but her cheeks twitched with the effort of holding it back. “What did you tell her my favorite things are?”

“Hmmm.” Keely seemed to search her memory as she started brushing out her long, brown hair. “I told her you love goats and dogs and the bakery and rainbows with birdies all around and dance parties. Supergran says she wants to go to the cowboy bar with you so you can save a horse.” She looked up at me then. “She’s always talkin’ about saving those horses. She’s real dedicated.”

A million different curses circled in my mind. “I’m going to kill my grandmother.”

“Daddy!” Keely chastised me. “Do I need to ground you?”

Ellie did laugh at that. “I think that means no dessert for him.”

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