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“Chocolate bribes?” I asked as we stopped near the grill. “If you’re not careful, she’ll take your place.” Or mine. The thought hit me hard and soured inside.
Dustin waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not worried. Neither of those girls is above taking chocolate from two people instead of one. Besides, I give better piggyback rides.”
“You’ve got your bases covered.” I laughed to smother the out-of-place feeling inside. But it was better than sinking into my other impulse. If I wasn’t careful, I’d start to feel comfortable here—playing house—and I didn’t want that.
Dustin lay the meat on the grill, then sighed. “I have no idea what Addie likes.”
A pair of nice, thick sausages. It didn’t feel right to make the joke without her here, and at the same time it felt wrong to say it with the girls in the house. The fuck was wrong with me? “I’ll go ask her.”
I found Adrienne exactly where I expected, kneeling at the coffee table in the living room with the girls, paper and colored pencils spread out in front of them.
“We’re drawing pictures.” Harmony didn’t look up for her work.
“I see that. Adrienne, Dustin wants to know what kind of meat you want,” I said.
She raised her brows as she looked at me, and the corners of her mouth tugged up.
Yeah, that sounded pretty bad in a certain context.
Alana huffed. “Gross.”
Harmony swapped one pencil for another. “Alana’s a vegetarian.”
And I was going to hope that was why she didn’t like my question.
Alana hopped to her feet and skipped to me. “Adrienne drew me. What do you think?”
It was a chibi version of Alana, and it was appropriately adorable. I wasn’t going to use any language that could be misconstrued. “I think Adrienne is a very talented artist, and we’re lucky she works with us anyway.”
Pink spread across Adrienne’s cheeks. Stunning.
“I drew my own pictures.” Harmony ran up to me as well. “This one’s for you.”
“Thank you.” I took the drawing. It was two men, one with dark hair, and a thinner one with yellow hair. It wasn’t Rembrandt, but considering she was five… “It’s fantastic. Tell me about it.”
“It’s you and Uncle Dustin getting married.”
I swallowed my cough, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Adrienne’s smile twitch back.
“You’re stupid.” Alana huffed and crossed her arms.
“I’m not stupid, you’re stupid,” Harmony screamed.
Moment ruined. Thank God. “Who has homework?”
“I did mine at the office.” Alana sounded smug.
“I don’t get homework,” Harmony said.
I needed a different distraction for them. “Help me get plates and cups ready, while Adrienne tells Dustin what she wants to eat.” I took Harmony’s hand, and failed to ignore the surge of pain that came with a tiny person holding onto me.
When Harmony and I reached the kitchen, I set her picture on the counter so we could work.
“No.” She climbed on a barstool, and folded the image into a mostly-neat rectangle. “Come here.” I moved closer, and she stuffed the picture into my shirt pocket. “Hang it in your office,” she said.
“I will. I promise.” I patted the drawing.
Dinner was served without further tantrums or screaming. It felt odd sitting around the table like a family. I wanted it to be disconcerting and it was comfortable instead. The conversation strayed from Alana and her swimming to Harmony’s birthday party and how she was going to rent a castle.
