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“You’re welcome.” She clapped her hands while doing a sidestep shuffle toward the kitchen. “Come, Ladybug.”
The puppy followed, wagging its curly tail while trotting after Leigh’s daughter.
When the pair disappeared from view, Sam turned to meet Leigh’s gaze. “Your daughter has some serious deadpan skills. I have no idea if I botched that or aced it.”
“It’s difficult to tell with her sometimes. I suppose that’s my fault. She’s adopted my tendency toward directness and honesty, but she hasn’t learned how to filter her outgoing information yet.”
“She’s still ten, right?”
“I’ll be eleven in thirty-six days,” Leigh’s mini said, entering the room as purposefully as she’d left it. “This is Smokey.” Arms extended, she offered him the cat. “You can hold him. He doesn’t like everybody, but even if he doesn’t like you, he won’t scratch you.”
Every word and action from Lennox felt like a test. This one, he could pass. He lifted Smokey and cradled the cat like a baby, the way Leigh had previously shown him, stroking the gray fur with his knuckles as Smokey settled in contentedly.
“He likes you.” The faintest trace of emotion laced Lennox’s voice.
Maybe he’d imagined it. Wishful thinking.
“Will you be coming to my birthday party?” An invitation, or another test?
He had no idea. Since the question demanded an answer and Leigh wasn’t offering any guidance, he’d have to go with his gut. Be himself. That’s the only way this’d work, in the long run.
“Will there be cookies?” he asked, referencing their first meeting. “Because I think I’m going to be extra hungry that day.”
A hint of a smile drew Lennox’s mouth upward from its otherwise flat line. “It’s a birthday party. You’ll have to eat cake instead.”
“What kind?”
“Lemon.” She threw down the answer with a glint in her eye and challenge in her tone.
“My favorite.”
“Lemon’s your favorite kind of cake?” Pure disbelief this time around, complete with raised eyebrows and a head tilt that made her resemblance to Leigh even stronger. So, the kidcouldshow emotion, she’d just chosen to keep it in check. Another trait she shared with her mother.
“Yes, lemon is my favorite. I like how it’s sweet but it’s also a bit tart. The perfect combination.”
Lennox held firm in her skeptical stare. “With icing or glaze?”
“If it’s moist, it doesn’t need either one.”
“Mommy’s cakes are always moist. But my birthday cake will have buttercream icing because that’s how I like it.” Another challenge? Hard to tell with this miniature version of Leigh.
“I’ll be there.”
“Okay.” Seemingly satisfied with the conclusion of their conversation, she scooped the puppy into her arms and headed for the stairs. “I’m going to take Ladybug upstairs and draw.”
Leigh patted both heads as they passed. “Set a timer on your phone to take the puppy out in half an hour.”
“I will.” One foot on the bottom riser, Lennox paused and looked back at them. “My bedroom door will be closed to keep Ladybug where I can see her. If you want to make kissy sounds, I won’t hear them.”
“Go make some beautiful artwork,” Leigh said, laughing while shooing her daughter up the stairs.
Ten seconds later, a door clicked closed upstairs. Leigh did what he assumed any parent would do under the circumstances—stealthily climbed enough stairs to confirm everybody was where they should be.
She smiled while reentering the living room. “All clear.”
He released a long breath while scrubbing his hand over the top of his head, a habit he’d picked up since letting his hair grow in. “Did I pass?”
“Since she invited you to her birthday, I’d say yes.”
