Page 276 of Safe With You

“Six.”

Ellis pointed toward the kitchen. “Go.”

She took off.

“Walk.”

Her pace slowed. Barely.

I followed them into the kitchen, where Ellis scooped banana pudding into a bowl. Mila immediately looked disappointed.

“That’s little.”

“You’re little.”

“I’m six.”

“Exactly.”

She looked at me for support, but I lifted both hands. “I’m not getting involved.”

“You were on my side earlier.”

“That was before bedtime.”

Ellis slid the bowl toward her. “See? She knows.”

Mila finished her pudding faster than anybody should’ve been able to and pushed the bowl away.

“Done.”

Ellis looked at the clock. “Upstairs.”

“Can Miss Luna tuck me in?”

The question caught me off guard.

Not enough to make me uncomfortable, just enough that I looked at Ellis before answering.

There was no expectation in his face. He left the choice to me.

“If she wants to,” he said.

Mila turned to me. “Can you?”

“Yeah.”

Her smile came quickly. “Come on.”

She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the stairs.

Her room was exactly what I expected after knowing her for more than a few weeks.

Books everywhere.

There was a short bookcase against one wall, another beside her bed, and a stack on the floor that looked like it started with good intentions before somebody gave up. A stuffed giraffe was wedged between two pillows, and glow-in-the-dark stars were stuck across the ceiling.

I stopped in the doorway. “You have a lot of books.”