“Paige!”
“Hi,” my daughter yells back. “Look, Dad, it’s Jules!” Her anxiousness is forgotten as she takes off running for the short set of stairs that lead up to our friend. I thank the driver, give him a tip, even though I was explicitly told not to by Luke, and take the suitcases. Mine, small and black. Paige’s, smaller and emblazoned with unicorns who I think may be farting rainbows.
Following Paige up the stairs, I greet Jules with a kiss to the cheek.
“What the fuck was that?”
“I’m trying to be, I don’t know, classy. Or civilized,” I say.
“Just be you, weirdo,” she says, taking Paige’s suitcase from me. “Sit wherever, it’s just the three of us on this flight.”
“Who is going to fly it?” Paige’s eyes turn into saucers.
“I meant us three, plus the crew,” Jules says. “Do you want to meet them?”
“Oh, yes,” Paige says dreamily. “Can I?”
“Of course.” Jules knocks on the cockpit door and the two pilots come out, as a flight attendant boards behind me.
“We’re all set,” the new man says, and Jules nods to him before introducing Paige to the pilots.
I find a place to squeeze my ass into. Everything feels too small.
“This plane is abnormally small,” I complain when they come to take their seats.
“Are you nervous?”
“No,” I lie, and nod toward Paige, who is climbing into the seat next to me. Jules sits across from us, grinning at me.
“I’ve got your suit,” she says. “When we get to altitude, you can try it on, make sure it fits. I also have the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen for Miss Paige.”
“Really?” Paige asks.
“Yep. Lou designed it herself and Luke had it made just for you.”
“Oh, my goodness, I can’t wait to see it!”
The plane starts to taxi, and I close my eyes, feigning a nap so my kid doesn’t see what a fucking coward I am.
“You are absolutely fucking stunning,” I say, nearly stammering. Our plane landed with only enough time to get us from the airstrip to the hotel Lou has already checked into. We need to leave for the theater that the awards are being held at in about thirty minutes. Jules dressed us on the plane. Luckily, everything fit.
Paige has been twirling around in her frilly white dress singing about being gnarly. She, too, stills and stares at Lou in awe. Their dresses match. Paige’s is a much more age-appropriate version of the ethereal white dress that falls off one shoulder and trails behind her.
“You look like the cake from cousin Bobby’s wedding,” Paige tells her.
“Do I? Does that mean you look like a cupcake?” Lou squats in front of her, twining one of Paige’s curls around her finger as she nods. “Should I take a bite?”
“No.” Paige giggles.
“I missed you,” Lou tells her.
“I missed you, too,” she parrots, before holding her hands around her mouth and whispering, “So did Daddy.”
“I missed him, too,” Lou whispers, looking up to me. “And thank you, Grady. You look pretty damn good yourself.”
Holding a hand out, I help her stand, pulling her closer. Her scent overtakes me, some new perfume she hadn’t used before.
“What do you smell like?”
