"And that's calledlying." Morgan gathers her cards into a stack with the efficiency of a casino dealer. "You didn't let me do anything. You just stink."
"Alright. That's enough abuse." Colt winks at me. "I'm outta here. Zo? She's all yours."
He pushes back from the table, scooping his jacket off the back of the chair.
Morgan's head snaps up like a meerkat. "Nooooo! You can't leave yet."
"Morgan," I say, catching her arm before she leaps into the man's arms. "It's eight-thirty. You have school tomorrow."
She fixes Colt with a look of absolute authority. "Fine. I'll go to bed. But only if he does the handshake first."
I blink, looking between them. "Thewhat?"
Colt grins and holds his hand out to Morgan. I watch as they execute a sequence that involves a fist bump, two finger snaps, an elbow tap, and a shimmy that Colt performs with more enthusiasm than dignity.
"When did this happen?" I ask, pointing between them.
Colt grins. "She's a tough negotiator. I had to earn the handshake."
"He also had to earn pizza privileges." Morgan grabs her backpack from the floor. "I told him pepperoni only and no weird toppings. But he tried to order mushrooms anyway.Mushrooms. Like a serial killer, Mom."
I glance at Colt, and he shrugs with a helpless smile.
"Well," I say, keeping my voice steady. "It's past your bedtime, sweetie. Say goodnight."
Morgan turns to Colt, and sighs like the best night of her life has just ended.
"Goodnight, Lane." She sticks out her hand for the handshake again. "Same time tomorrow?"
Colt kneels so they're eye level. He takes her small hand in his and executes their ridiculous handshake one more time.
"You know I'll be here, kid."
He winks at her and my daughter beams, then hugs me one more time around the waist, and thunders up the stairs.
Colt straightens, gathering the pizza box and napkins.
"She ate two slices, drank all her juice, and did her reading homework without complaining," he says, not looking at me. "Which, according to her, is a miracle that I should be personally thanked for."
"Thank you." I lean against the doorframe, arms crossed. "And the supplies?"
He nods toward the back kitchen. "Twenty pounds all-purpose, ten pounds bread flour, vanilla extract, and I threw in an extra bag of the good chocolate chips because…. Well, I might have been snacking on them a little too much."
"Thank you, Colt. For everything."
Colt finally turns to face me, and his gaze drags down my body, something hot flickering behind those blue eyes. My skin prickles everywhere his gaze touched.
He shakes his head, and blows his cheeks out.
"She's right, you know. You look incredible, Zoey," he says quietly. No wink. No charm. Just words that melt my insides to goo.
He's close enough that I can smell him, that scent that's been haunting me for days. If I reached out right now, I could grab the front of his jacket and pull him toward me.
Don't. Don't you dare.
My fingers curl into fists at my sides, holding me back as he throws his jacket on and pauses at the door, looking back at me over his shoulder.
"Oh, if it's okay, I gotta swing by The Den for a check-up in the morning. I'll see you around nine?"
