Page 21 of Pretend it’s Forever

Instead of saying anything along those lines though, I looked down at the mini replicas of Sophia at her side and knelt in front of them.

“Hello girls.”

“Hi,” one of the little girls said as she skipped towards me, and threw her arms around me. I froze and looked up wide-eyed at Sophia. I wasn’t good with kids—hell I didn’t know any—so I had no idea what the hell I was supposed to do right now. Sure, I’d burn the world down in order to protect these two, but I didn’t know what to do when they tried to hug me like this.

The other little one hid behind Sophia’s legs but waved shyly at me.

“Girls, this is Mr. Carson.”

“I know, Mama,” the littlest said and kissed me on my cheek, surprising the hell out of me.

“You must be Violet,” I guessed, trying to remember the difference between the two. She beamed, and then little Hazel skipped towards me and hugged me just as tightly. “And you’re Hazel.” Without thinking, I stood, lifting them both in my arms and sitting them on my hips. Sophia reached out as if to stop me, or help, I wasn’t sure, and I had no idea what the hell I was doing.

I had met these girls a couple of times now, and the first time had been in the most horrific circumstances. I hoped to hell they didn’t remember me from that time. I didn’t understand kids ages or what they could remember or forget, I just hoped they remembered sunshine, and rainbows, and all that other shit.

“I didn’t realize you were so good with children,” Sophia said after a moment.

The surprise in her voice should have insulted me but considering how my thoughts had been along the same lines, I couldn’t fault her. However, I wasn’t about to let her know that. “I’m not. But they’re like little monkeys that cling, so it can’t be that hard.”

Both girls made monkey sounds, and I chuckled roughly, before gesturing towards the booth closest to the window.

“Take a seat, I’ll follow.”

“You don’t have to carry them, Carson. We were just getting a little snack.”

“Snack, snack, snack, snack,” both girls said at the same time, and I continued to laugh.

I followed Sophia, since she had no other choice, before setting the girls down in the booth.

Nobody was paying attention to us, and for that I was thankful. I knew Sophia didn’t like to be the spectacle, not anymore. Not that she had ever wanted to be, but as a dancer, being the center of attention was one thing, and this would be another.

“It’s good to see you,” she said, and I wasn’t sure she meant it. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see her either, but here we were, standing awkwardly near each other once again, her daughters nearby.

“I’m just here to get lunch, I was with your brothers earlier.”

“Which ones? Apparently I have forty.”

I laughed then, grateful she could tease about such a complicated story.

“Flynn and James.”

“So you’re the one with the gym.” She reached up and brushed her fingers along my jaw. I wasn’t sure she realized she had done it until we both stiffened. She let her arm fall, and I immediately missed her touch. “You’re going to end up with a bruise there.”

“Flynn’s going to end up with a few bruises as well. James wasn’t happy with us.”

“I can’t believe he fights.” There was a bite to her tone, her face pale, and I wanted to curse, but the girls were staring at us.

“We take it easy, I promise. It’s nothing like⁠—”

She held up her hand. “I know. I know. Anyway, I should go pick up our order from the counter.”

“I can do it for you. Sit with the girls.”

“I don’t need you to. But thank you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Carson,” Violet said, and then Hazel echoed the words. They patted my arm, and I reached down to tug on each of their pigtails.

“You’re very welcome. Now tell your mother to sit down.”