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I’m wearing my protector Izzy, though, and she shields me perfectly from any of his rage.
His baby fusses slightly at his chest, so he pulls a binky out of his fanny-pack pocket and plops it in his son’s mouth expertly. It’s pretty incredible how good his aim is, considering he hasn’t taken his eyes off me, and I have to give him credit.
I dip my chin, and his eyes narrow. Okay, then. Not open to friendliness yet, I see. Losing so quickly and after having far more practice than Flynn and I is a hard pill to swallow, so I’ll allow it.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, so I pull it out to read it quickly.
Maria: How’s it going? Is Izzy okay?
I smile.
Me: Oh, it’s going fantastic. Izzy and I are champions.
Maria: Okayyy… I don’t understand what that means, so I’m just going to tell myself it means you’re good. LOL. I have to run into a showing right now, and then right into another, but I’ll let you know when I’m done.
Me: No worries. Take your time.
We’ve got shit to do anyway.
I take the two bagged fish from the attendant and round the booth to Flynn, who jerks up his chin in congratulations. I grin like the victor I am. “It was all Izzy, dude. She gave me the perfect center of gravity.”
“Fuck,” Flynn replies with a smirk. “That must be why I didn’t get it. I’m used to holding two, and I only had one.”
“For sure. Your equilibrium was all off.” I nod fervently. “Where to next?” I ask, subtly checking to see if the other dad is still mentally spearing me. He’s moved on to feeding his kid a bottle, but I can tell he’s lingering on purpose—giving his best impression of an undercover agent, casing our whereabouts.
“I think I saw one of those spinning hang bars across from where we turned. Want to give that a go?”
I nod my agreement. Izzy’s going to make it easy for me with this one too. She practically weighs nothing still.
Flynn readjusts his sunglasses after Ryder tries to grab them off his face, and then we’re off again, headed in the direction of the hanging challenge.
I glance back briefly when we make it down from the booth a little, and I spot the Reebok dad following closely.
I nudge Flynn with a soft elbow. “Got a bogey on our six, dude. Looks like Reebok wants to dance again.”
“Well, then, Goose. I guess it’s time to hit the brakes, see if he’ll fly on by.”
There’s nothing I love more than a Top Gun reference. Plus, there’s probably nothing dad-lier that Flynn or I could have done in that moment. Still, I don’t think this is a bait and switch situation. I think, if we’re going to really win this epic battle, we’re going to have to meet the challenge head on.
I shake my head. “Nope. I think we have to see this through to the end. Let’s just win.”
Flynn smirks. “Roger that.”
We stop at the booth, set up with the hanging bar and a two-minute clock display. It looks simple enough, but I know there’s not a chance in hell so many people have trouble for no reason.
The trick here isn’t to get cocky.
“This one’s all you,” Flynn defers, lifting each of the boys about six inches higher to make his reasoning evident. With two arms full and muscles that must be burning to hell and back after carrying them all day, he’s not our best chance anyway, so I don’t fight it.
It’s up to Izzy and me, and we can handle it, I’m sure.
Brazenly, Reebok dad stops at the booth behind us, without even bothering to feign interest in something else.
This, I’d say, is a declaration of war.
I turn to Flynn and hold out the bag of fish, to which he laughs directly in my face. “You’re joking, right?” he questions, lifting up both twins a little higher.
“Why the hell didn’t you bring a stroller?”
“Because I didn’t need one.”
Great. I sigh, and then gently set the fish bags on the ground.
Stepping up to the booth and paying my fee, I tighten Izzy’s carrier straps and check to make sure her head is good and secure. Her eyes flutter, and I know immediately that she’s giving me a wink.
She’s confident in me, and I’m confident in her. Together, we can handle anything.
Assured she’s comfortable and ready for action, I climb onto the foot pegs on the bottom sides of the bar structure and reach up to take it into my hands as gently as possible.
It’s simple at first, hanging calmly as the clock starts to click. Flynn shifts Roman in his left arm and then boosts Ryder farther onto his hip on the right.
The boys giggle and squeal and try like hell to make Flynn release them so they can crawl on the ground, but he’s stalwart, a true warrior, and keeps them locked up tight so he can remain my support.
