Colin grinned and put his hand on the doorknob.
“Colin?” a sleepy voice asked behind him.
Mac smiled as he looked beyond Colin’s shoulder. “Oh, hey there, early bird.”
Colin turned to see Juni standing just inside the hall, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “I’m not an early bird, I’m a Junebug. Right, Colin?”
Colin tried to hide his amusement. “That’s right.”
“Where ya goin’?”
“I…” How did he explain a briefing to a little girl? “I’m going to talk to all the nice people you met yesterday.”
“Aunt Arden?”
“Um, no. Probably not. More like Uncle Kyle.”Wow, that felt weird to say.
“Can I come with you?”
Both Colin and Mac straightened, surprised. “It’s going to be really boring.”
“I brought coloring books.” Mac raised the grocery bag. “And crayons. Thebigbox, eh?”
“I want to go with Colin.” She started to pout. Mac lowered his arm.
Hoo-boy.
“Junebug, I’m not going to be gone long.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Then before he could think about it, he lifted his hand and stuck out his pinkie. “Pinkie swear.”
“No.” Juni shook her head. “I get in trouble if I cuss.”
Mac snorted.
“This isn’t cussing, Junebug. It’s like sealing the deal with a promise.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m coming back no matter what.” He bent his knees and squatted down to her height, hand out, pinkie still extended.
Juniper walked slowly across the living room and stopped right in front of him, wariness in her gaze.
“Now, you hook your pinkie around mine.” He lifted his other hand, crooked his pinkies, and linked them. “Like this.”
Juni nodded solemnly. She had to bend her fingers down with her other hand, but still managed to hook pinkies with Colin.
“And that’s a pinkie swear. Or, well, we’ll call it a pinkie promise.”
“So I don’t get in trouble for swearing?”
“So you don’t get in trouble for swearing.” This time, Colin didn’t bother hiding his smile.
Before he could stand, Juni launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around Colin. His eyes went round and heexhaled sharply in surprise. He hesitantly returned her hug while Mac stared in disbelief.
How can something simultaneously hurt so much and feel great at the same time?
