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The kid is stupidly cute. No wonder Lana never stood a chance at saying no to her about building a boat with me. Who would?
“Oh, no. She fell asleep before dinner.”
I turn to find Lana standing beside me.
“Are you going to wake her up?” I ask.
“Heck no.”
I chuckle low. “Do you plan on having her sleep down here?”
“Nope.”
“What are you waiting for?”
She presses her palm against the small of her back. “I’m mentally preparing my back for the pain I’m going to feel tomorrow once I carry her up the stairs.”
“I can carry her,” I offer before thinking.
Surprise. Surprise.
Her brows shoot up. “You can?”
I place the box on the floor. “She probably weighs what… forty-five pounds soaking wet?”
“A little less but yeah.”
“No worries. I got her.” I walk up to Cami and tuck my arms beneath her head and legs. Cami’s head rolls, but Lana is quick to readjust her so her cheek is pressed against my chest. Cami grumbles something under her breath before snuggling deeper into my shirt.
A strange tugging in my chest has me looking away from Cami’s face and directly toward Lana’s. Her gaze travels from Cami to me, the skin around her eyes softening.
She is quick to break eye contact first. “I’ll show you to her room.”
I’m mindful not waking Cami as I follow Lana up the stairs and toward Rowan’s old room. The dark wood furniture and navy blue paint is gone, replaced by lavender walls and a white canopy bed shaped like a princess carriage.
The Dreamland-themed comforter makes me smile. “Cute—”
“Don’t.” Her edgy tone matches her eye roll. A few of the princesses from our most famous movies are plastered across the fabric, all grinning up at the ceiling. Lana throws it back before giving me room.
I’m careful to not wake Cami as I place her on the bed. She doesn’t stir, so I take a step back and let Lana do her thing. My feet remain glued to the floor while Lana tucks Cami in and whispers something against her forehead before kissing it.
The tugging sensation comes back stronger this time and wraps around my heart like a lasso, tempting me to escape.
So I do just that.
Since I’m in the mood to run away, I throw on my workout gear and take advantage of the breezy evening. I don’t stop running until I end up heading down Main Street in search of food and something to occupy my mind.
Warm light pouring out of One More Chapter’s windows has me taking off in the direction of the bookshop.
“Back so soon?” Meg shuts her book with a sigh.
“I need a new book.” I wipe my damp face with the bottom of my shirt.
“Already? You just bought three a few days ago.”
I run my hands through my slick strands of hair. “Not like I have much else to do around here besides read.”
“What are you looking for this time?”
