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That should sting, but it doesn’t. My daughter’s relationship with my brother and my two closest friends is just as important to me as it is to Kirby. Their presence and influence in her life are vital.
“You’re that good?” I ask Holden with skepticism edging my tone.
“Why do you seem so surprised?” he spits back.
I shake my head. “I thought I knew everything there was to know about you.”
His gaze catches mine. “Do I know everything about you, Rook?”
Hell, no.
I laugh off the question because I’m not about to confess to my sins in front of my daughter.
Kirby pushes the plate in front of her to the side. “What’s for dessert?”
I push it right back at her. “Another six bites, and we’ll discuss those chocolate chip cookies Holden brought with him.”
“Six?” She shakes her head. “Come on, Daddy. I can do three bites.”
Negotiation is my specialty, so I land where I wanted to be in the first place. “Five more bites of spaghetti, and you have yourself a deal.”
She looks to Holden for back up, but he’s got his eyes on his phone.
“Okay. I’ll do five.” She sighs. “If I get two cookies.”
“One.” Holden’s index finger bounces into the air. “They’re big enough that you only need one.”
“You two are tough.” She smiles. “I really want a cookie, though, so okay.”
Holden cocks a brow as he glances at me. “You’re still smiling. You’re going to need to fill me in on that later.”
That’s not happening. I gave Carrie my word that I wouldn’t share our discussion with her sister, or Declan. I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t widen that scope to include every person on this earth.
Carrie trusts me with something deeply personal, so I’ll honor that and her by keeping my mouth shut.
“It’s about me,” Kirby assumes. “Daddy loves me so much that he can’t help but smile.”
“You’ve got that right.” I stand so I can lean forward to plant a kiss on the top of her head. “I’m the luckiest dad in the world.”
“You’re a lucky ducky dad.” She giggles. “I’m a lucky ducky daughter.”
Holden tosses his hands in the air in mock anger. “What does that make me?”
“You’re my second best friend now,” she announces to his delight. “Seeing that you brought me those cookies. You get to be second best.”
“I’ll take it.” He stands, too, to clear the dishes. “I love you, kiddo.”
“Love you too, Uncle H.” She tosses him a smile. “You know I love you, Daddy, so I won’t say it until bedtime.”
I’ll take it whenever I can get it, so I kiss her head again before I lend Holden a hand in the kitchen.
I bite the inside of my lip while I stare at the screen of my phone. It’s never taken me this long to compose a text message in the past, yet I want this one to be perfect, so I’ve spent the past five minutes contemplating exactly how to word it.
Ten minutes, if I’m being brutally honest.
I read it over again, and then, like jumping into a cool pool in the early days of summer, I take the plunge in one swift motion.
Rook: I’d like to cook dinner for you tomorrow. Are you free?
