“Could you do it again? Every day, maybe?”
Her big blue eyes narrowed into slits, and wrinkles formed between her brows at my question. “Why?”
Why, indeed. I didn’t dare disclose it was so I could figure her out like the Rubik's Cube I kept on my desk for when I needed something to challenge my mind. Or that being in her presence simply made me feel lighter, despite her grumpy first impression. And I’d only known her for a couple of hours.
Instead, I went with the next best answer. “Well, the girls enjoy your company.”
“Oh, the girls.” Her blue eyes twinkled as she smiled adoringly at Molly and Eloise. “I guess I could join more frequently. I usually make extra anyway. Except, you should know I usually only bring food by once a week and store it for my sister to heat or cook later.”
“Really?”
“Yep. Depending on guest requests, it’s either breakfast or dinner. Sometimes both, for an added fee. Clearly, you’re a special guest.”
Her nose scrunched when she said I was special, and it was one of the cutest things I’d ever seen. I almost told her so but stopped myself.
“Well, I appreciate it.”
Silence creeped agonizingly slowly around the table until Molly filled the space again with her chatter. Thank goodness for little miracles.
I swirled the remainder of the buttery noodles around my fork and glanced up quickly to find Alex’s eyes on me. As I lifted my fork toward my mouth, I shot a wink in her direction, solidifying that the pink tinge deepening on her cheeks was now my favorite color.
When the girls announced they were finished with their meal, I quickly gathered their plates and utensils from the table along with my own and headed toward the kitchen. Alex was quick on my heels.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I insist,” I stated as she approached the sink.
My hands grasped the edges of the dishes, my fingers brushing against hers as she reached for them. Electricity sizzled up my arm as if I held a Fourth of July sparkler too close to my skin. I trained my eyes on Alex to see if she felt the same sizzle, but her face remained impassive, unchanged.
“Please,” I reiterated, and Alex finally relented her hold on the plates.
“Just so you know, this won’t be happening again,” she said as I got started rinsing off the plates and pots that were sitting in the large farmhouse sink. Alex propped her backside against the counter beside me. It felt… comfortable.
“And why is that?”
“Because you’re a guest here. You already cleaned up after the pie earlier. Autumn, Colton, and Andrew would be appalled to learn you’re putting away your own dishes. Imagine what your business investors would think.”
Dropping the plate back into the sink, I turned toward Alex, ready to clear the air of whatever I’d done to offend her, and it was obvious from her crossed arms and stiff back she was ready to spar.
Just as I was about to open my mouth, Eloise came trotting into the room with her cup, followed by Molly.
“Daddy, can we go for a walk outside?” Eloise asked, her doe eyes blinking up at me. There was no way I could deny her request, despite my desire to squash the tension between Alex and me. I also wanted some time to explore the yard.
“Sure.” I grabbed the girls’ cups and gently placed them in the sink and then turned back to Alex. “Guess you got your wish. We’ll stay out of your hair for a while.”
I snaked around the kitchen island, guiding my daughters toward the mudroom I’d seen earlier, leaving Alex to do the dishes she so adamantly pursued.
Outside, the girls frolicked in the lush grass, giggling with each step as they approached the swing set. Even at my now-sold California home, the girls didn’t have a yard like this when they visited me. And their mother lived in a high-rise condo. Besides some trips to the park, this was most likely their first venture in an expansive backyard. Watching them push with their legs while on the swings, the blue-hued mountains in the background, I wished I brought them here sooner.
I had to bide my time though. Finalize the decisions that would change the courses of all three of our lives. And this place was the last piece of that puzzle.
As they continued to swing, I let them know I was going to wander farther to see the ice rink and pool Colton installed. Along the way, I peered into an old shed that was filled with workbenches and equipment.
Elation filled me as all the pieces fell into place for my plan.
Inside my pocket, I felt my phone buzz, and I brought it out to see my ex’s name flash on the screen. I’d already spoken to her today and had zero desire to do so again. But this was her MO to drive me crazy lately. She’d call repeatedly until I caved and let her speak to the girls. She did this before, but then she’d disappear for weeks at a time. Sasha was notorious for getting their hopes up and then quelling them just as quickly. I should know. She’d done the same to me.
Heaving a deep breath, I answered the call and told her to hold on before she could get out a single word. Approaching the swing set, I told the twins their mother was on the phone. While Molly enthusiastically snatched the phone from my hand, I sensed the hesitation from Eloise, with her downcast eyes and deepening frown. But despite her sister’s reluctance, Molly turned on the speakerphone and persuaded Eloise to join their conversation.
