Page 9 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
He scooped her up into his arms. “How was the birthday party?”
“Sooo fun!” She wiggled. “Put me down. I need to show you our dance.”
Reid grinned and set her on the ground.
“We’re learning hip-hop!” She turned to the other girl. “Let’s show ’em, Astrid.” The two girls began dancing around the driveway, shaking their hips and waving their arms.
Reid and the woman exchanged a glance and shared a grin, but Kaiah didn’t pick up any romantic vibes between them. Hmm.
“They’re wound up,” the woman said.
Reid waved a hand toward the two girls. “I see that.”
Suddenly the first girl stopped dancing and made a beeline to Kaiah. “I’m Piper Elizabeth Turner. Who are you?”
Kaiah bent at her waist to make herself eye level with the girl and held out her hand. “I’m Kaiah Ross. Nice to meet you.”
“Ky-ya?” Piper asked, and Kaiah nodded. Then the girl scrunched her nose. “How do you spell that?”
“K-a-i-a-h.”
“Huh.” Piper considered this, and then she pointed to the other little girl, who had also stopped dancing and was watching them. “This is my cousin, Astrid Griffin, and her mom, my auntie Becca. Auntie Becca and my dad are twins. Me and Astrid pretend we’re twins too. Right, Astrid?”
The other little girl nodded. “Uh-huh!”
“Really?” Kaiah asked, and Reid grinned. Mr. TDH was a twin. Intriguing! And where was his wife? In the house already? Away on business? Working on a Saturday?
“Why are you at my house?” Piper asked. “Did you come to visit us?”
“Actually, my car broke down, and I’m staying in the apartment over the garage until my car is fixed. Is that okay?”
Piper nodded. “Sure.” Then she took Kaiah’s hand. “Want to meet my cat? Her name is Ariel, and she’s a calico. And she’s two.” Then she dropped Kaiah’s hand. “I’m six, and Astrid is six. How old are you?”
A chuckle escaped Kaiah’s lips, but she couldn’t help it. This kidwasa chatterbox.
“Piper...” Reid’s voice interjected, a hint of reprimand in his tone. “It’s rude to ask someone how old she is.”
“Really?” Piper’s eyes widened with genuine surprise, turning her gaze toward Reid. “Is it because saying a huge number makes you sound really, really old?”
Kaiah bent over in a belly laugh. This child, with her unabashed curiosity and adorable bluntness, was super endearing.
“Piper, what am I going to do with you?” Reid shook his head. “I’m sorry, Kaiah.”
“It’s okay.” She leaned down with a conspiratorial look and whispered, “How old do you think I am?”
Piper tapped her chin. “Well, my daddy is thirty-two, and my auntie is thirty-two, but my uncle Cash is thirty-five. Are you thirty-two?”
“Nope.” Kaiah shook her head, and out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Reid cupping his hand to his forehead. “Guess again.”
“Hmm... thirty-five?”
Astrid jumped up and down and announced, “Forty!”
“Not quite,” Kaiah said with a laugh. “I’m twenty-six.”
“Wooow,” Piper and Astrid both exclaimed. Then Piper pointed at Kaiah. “You should stay for supper.” She looked at Reid. “Can we order pizza?”
“Yeah!” Astrid clapped her hands and jumped up and down. “Pizza! Pizza!”
