“Leia,” I say, and she glances at me.
Wren grabs Bennett’s hand as if we’re going to go into the pizza place now, but there’s one introduction that needs to happen before we do.
“This is?—”
“Your dad!” Wren shouts with excitement. “And he’s the best daddy. You’re going to love him.”
Leia smiles softly, but she doesn’t move. I’m starting to think maybe we should’ve done this differently.
Wren is obviously over the moon about being sisters, and she’s too young to empathize with the emotions coursing through Leia. She was just told that the dad she’s known her entire life isn’t really her dad and another man is. A man she’s never met and doesn’t know.
Bennett hunches down, and Wren stays right at his side, her smile big and wide. “Hi, Leia, I’m Bennett.”
“Hi,” she says, studying him.
I give it a few minutes, my heart in my throat. After years of wondering how this moment would go, I was far from prepared.
“Well, who’s hungry?” I say a little too loudly, showing my nerves.
Bennett doesn’t take his eyes off Leia, as if he’s looking her over to see what parts of him made it into her.
It’s not until Leia turns to me that Bennett straightens and stands, turmoil and anger on his face.
Wren grabs Leia’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Bennett brings up the rear as we head inside.
Wren bounces in place beside the hostess stand. “Can we get our usual booth?” Her voice is full of excitement.
Bennett runs a hand down his face. “If it’s open, sure.”
She peers past the hostess stand to check.
I glance at Leia. She’s quiet, her fingers curled around my hand. Her eyes dart to Wren, then to Bennett, then down to the tile floor.
The hostess grabs the menus and says to follow her.
Bennett holds his hand out for us to go first, his hand brushing the small of my back when I walk past. It’s light, barely there, but a pulse shoots up my spine.
Read the room, you traitorous body.
Anything between Bennett and me is done and over.
We slide into the booth, Wren bouncing so hard the salt and pepper shake. “Have you had cheeseburger pizza? You’re going to love it.”
Leia offers a weak smile before slipping in next to me. She presses her side into mine.
Bennett sits next to Wren, his gaze shifting between the girls and me. He looks as if he’s trying to keep his expression neutral, but his jaw tenses. What I would do to be in his mind right now.
The server comes by, and we order a pitcher of lemonade, garlic knots, and two pizzas, one cheeseburger and one pepperoni.
Wren drums her hands on the table. “Do they have that game where—oh—the claw machine! Can we play?”
Leia doesn’t say anything. She just watches Wren.
While Bennett tells Wren we’ll get to the games in a minute, she excitedly tells him a story of when Nash brought her here with Poppy and how Nash won five stuffed animals from the claw machine.
I use the reprieve from the tension with all four of us to check in on Leia. I squeeze her hand and lean over to whisper in her ear, “You doing okay?”
