Page 133 of His Surrender

Dad reaches for a slice. “I was telling Dean this little one has everyone wrapped around her finger.”

Aubrey glances toward Liana, whose entire focus is now fixed on the loaf.

“I don’t know …” She tilts her head thoughtfully. “I think she’s mostly interested in your pumpkin bread.”

Dad takes a bite and closes his eyes.

“Oh …” He points the slice toward her. “You’re hired.”

She laughs. “I already am.”

“Then you’re getting promoted.”

I don’t hear the rest of the joke because my attention stays on Aubrey.

She walks over to take Liana from Dad, tucking my daughter easily against her hip while brushing some hair away from Liana’s forehead.

The movement is effortless now, like she’s been doing it forever.

Liana immediately buries her face against Aubrey’s shoulder before reaching back to tug one of the drawstrings on Aubrey’s hoodie.

“You’ve got drool all over your face,” Aubrey murmurs, smiling as she wipes it from Liana’s chin.

Dad watches the two of them for a long moment before looking at me. He doesn’t say anything, though I wonder what he is thinking.

“So,” Aubrey says, shifting Liana onto her other hip, “I should probably disappear for a little while.”

I frown. “Why?”

She nods toward the hallway. “I want to get a few job applications submitted before Monday.”

The smile on my face disappears before I can stop it.

Applications—I almost managed to forget.

She notices the change immediately. “It’s just for an hour. It’s not like I’m leaving today.”

“I know.”

She studies me for another second. There’s sympathy in her eyes, like she knows exactly where my thoughts have gone.

She crosses the room until she’s standing beside my chair. “You boys have fun.”

Liana reaches toward me. I take her automatically, breathing in the familiar baby shampoo scent lingering in her soft hair.

Aubrey smiles. “I’ll come rescue you if Grandpa teaches her anything embarrassing.”

Dad scoffs. “I heard that.”

“I meant for you to.”

She laughs before walking down the hallway.

I watch her go before she disappears around the corner. Only then do I look away.

“Dean.”

Dad’s voice pulls me back.