Page 52 of Forbidden to Fall

I looked to James for help.

He clearly hadn’t expected to be put on the spot, because he opened his mouth wordlessly.

“Mommy says there are bears and mooses in the woods,” Mia said. “Do you have a gun, Mr. James?”

My eyes widened. This girl would be the death of me. “James works in the woods, Mia. I’m sure he knows how to handle wildlife without using a gun.”

“You work in the woods?” The awe in her voice was palpable.

“I do,” James confirmed. “In fact, I also sleep in them.”

Mia’s eyes ballooned. “Wow. You’re a real tough kid, Mr. James.”

He laughed.

She turned to me. “Have you ever slept in the woods?”

“Unfortunately, no,” I admitted. I was not stacking up well against James. How could my wonky pastries compete with a man who slept amongst bears and moose?

Compared to me, James was Indiana Jones.

“Why not?” Mia asked as though this was an oversight of massive proportions.

I shrugged. “It sounds really cool, but I don’t know if I’m brave enough.”

“Maybe he could teach us,” she said. “Oh! I know! We can have a sleepover in the woods!” She was so taken with the brilliancy of her idea that I stumbled over a response.

“Do you have a sleeping bag, Mr. James?” she asked. “I do—it has Moana on it, but you’re too big for it. And Aunt Sadie is too. Do you have an extra one for her? You could share, except you’re really big.”

My face was on fire, and I didn’t dare look at James.

Mia apparently didn’t require a response. She was on the woodsy sleepover train, and it stopped for no man.

“We can make s’mores!” she said, jumping at the thought. “With extra marshmallows! Aunt Sadie loves marshmallows.”

James’s gaze flitted to me for verification.

“It’s true,” I admitted meekly.

“Can we, Aunt Sadie?” Mia grabbed my hand. “Can we? Can we?” She tugged on my fingers pleadingly.

For a moment, I let myself picture what it would be like to entertain her request. “Hey, Ryan. Is it cool if I take your daughter into the woods and we have a sleepover with James? She can bring her Moana sleeping bag, and I’ll share one with James.”

I barely suppressed a shudder. Even without the sleepover, I cringed at the thought of what tales she’d be taking home today.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” I said, “but we can’t.”

“Why not?” she whined.

Again, I stumbled over an explanation that would satisfy her four-year-old brain.

To my surprise, James stepped in. “Your parents should take you camping in the woods, Mia, because you’ll never forget your first time.”

She stopped tugging on my hand and considered this with a deep, pensive frown. “Really?”

James nodded. “Thanks for inviting me, though. I hope you and Sadie find lots of pretty leaves. I have to go see my mom now.”

“Okay,” she said, voice full of resigned disappointment. “Oh! Another orange leaf!”