Page 53 of More Than Friends

“That’s good,” Char responds. She keeps her voice gentle as she begins to make a bottle one-handed. I already offered to take Ava from her or make the bottle myself, but she refused it. She said Cal and Lucy stole all the time with Ava while they were here, and she wanted to get her “Ava fix” before her bedtime. “You shouldn’t be locked away at home all summer because you have a baby. You don’t deserve that, and neither does she. Noone is entitled to information you don’t want to give them. If they ask you personal questions, politely tell them to fuck off.”

I laugh as I grab the edge of the kitchen island and lean forward. “Did you just cuss around my daughter?”

Char’s eyes go wide. She gives me an apologetic smile as she sets the bottle in the bottle warmer. “Maybe. Luckily, she isn’t old enough to repeat anything yet. I promise I will not be dropping the f-bomb around her at that point.”

There’s a tightening in my chest at the mention of her still being in our lives years from now. It’s not that I expected Charlotte not to be around by then—she’s been so deeply ingrained in my life over the past year that I really can’t imagine life without her—but she’s also never really talked about her long-term plans. I know she wants to open a photography business here, but I don’t know how serious she is about it. With how close she is with her family, I can’t help but wonder if the appeal of the Hamptons will wear off for her and she’ll want to return to Arizona. I hate the thought of her moving so far away, and I can’t pretend it isn’t scary to think about the possibility of her not always being a part of our lives.

“Maybe we’ll start a swear jar when she gets older. She’d make a fortune off the two of us.”

Char throws her head back and laughs. “Yes, she will.”

I smile as my body relaxes slightly at her agreeing with me. If she thinks Ava will make a fortune off both of us, then maybe it means she doesn’t have any intentions of leaving us. I hope that’s true. Even when I think about the future and what things will look like for my daughter and me years from now, I can’t help but picture Charlotte still in our lives too.

Ava wriggles in Charlotte’s arms as she lets out a small whine. I tilt my head toward my daughter. “Want me to take her?”

Charlotte shakes her head. “No, I’ve got her. I might go sit on the couch and get her comfy if you want to bring the bottle over once it’s warm.”

“Of course.”

Charlotte lifts Ava up and brings her closer to her face. “Your bottle’s almost done, I promise.” In an attempt to keep her from fussing, she leans in and blows a raspberry against Ava’s neck. Instead of crying, Ava lets out an excited squeal.

Charlotte’s eyes immediately find mine. “Was that a laugh?”

I can’t help but smile at her excitement. Charlotte said that Ava is now around the age where babies can start laughing, so the two of us have been trying hard to be the first person to get her to do it. “It was close,” I respond.

Charlotte leans in and blows another raspberry against Ava’s neck. Ava’s tiny body scrunches together as she lets out another squeal.

“Ugh, so close,” Char mutters as she pulls away from Ava’s neck with a smile. “I’m going to get the first laugh out of you, Ava girl.”

I shake my head and close the distance so I’m standing right next to them. I lean in and place a kiss against my daughter’s cheek. “I don’t think so. You’ve got to laugh for me first, baby girl.” I repeat the same thing Charlotte just did and blow a raspberry against Ava’s neck.

She lets out the same excited noise, but I don’t stop. I blow another one against the ticklish spot between her neck and shoulder in hopes of finally getting a real laugh out of her.

Ava reacts the same way she has been, holding out on giving us a laugh despite my best attempts.

“You’re cheating,” Charlotte mutters. She turns slightly, pulling Ava away from me in an attempt to prevent me from being able to try to make Ava laugh.

My eyes go wide as I shake my head. “Oh, no you don’t.”

“I’m going to get you,” Charlotte says in a baby voice before leaning in and blowing another raspberry against Ava’s neck. She glances at me while she does it, clearly amused with herself.

I grab Charlotte by the hips so she can’t move as I lean in and press my mouth against Ava’s neck. We’re both blowing raspberries against her skin. She lets out one excited squeal after another before letting out the most adorable little laugh.

Both Charlotte and I continue to blow the raspberries against her skin until she lets out another laugh, this time an intense belly laugh that is the cutest sound in the world.

I freeze.

Charlotte freezes.

Our eyes connect as both of our faces break out into deep smiles.

“She did it!” Charlotte gets out, her words coming out rushed from her excitement. The joy is all over her face, and it makes my body heat and my chest feel tight again.

“That was a laugh, right?” I ask. My heart completely soars because I swear I just heard my daughter laugh for the first time.

Charlotte nods, and I can’t help but think how absolutely beautiful she is in this moment. Her eyes are bright and crinkle at the sides, thanks to her wide smile, and I’m so happy that I get to share this special moment with her. There’s nobody else I’d rather share it with.

“Yes. That was definitely a laugh.” Charlotte huffs out a quiet laugh herself, her gaze focused on me.