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“What is it?” he asked.
“There’s donut ice cream.” She grabbed hold of his arm. “Donut ice cream.”
“Look, are you going to make up your mind soon?” the woman sniped. “You’re holding everyone up.”
She startled. They were? Oh no. Then she glanced behind them. There was a woman with a small boy. She was pointing out the different flavors to him. She glanced up at the server’s words with a small smile. “Oh, don’t worry about us. It’s going to take Harvey a while to choose.”
“Me too.”
The server sighed. “Yes, but he’s four and you’re old.”
Greer stared at the other woman in shock. Actually, she didn’t seem all that old. Maybe eighteen or nineteen. And she wasn’t even looking at Greer. Nope, her gaze was fixated on Hack.
Right. She got it.
“Excuse me?” Hack said in a dark voice. “What did you just say?”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” The girl placed her hand on her chest. “I didn’t mean to offend you. You’re so kind to bring your sister out with you. Is she a bit . . . special or something?” She sent Greer a look filled with fake pity. Was this girl for real?
She couldn’t . . . she . . . this girl was out of her mind.
Hack put his arm around Greer, pulling her close. “Actually, she’s my girlfriend. And I don’t put up with anyone talking badly about her. I wouldn’t count on having this job for much longer if I were you. Come on, baby girl. We’re going elsewhere.”
“So are we,” the woman behind them with the little boy said, following them out the door. “What a rude girl. I’m going to complain to the manager. Are you all right? I always find it hard when someone is rude like that.” She gave Greer a small smile.
“But, Mama, I wanted ice cream,” the little boy said.
“Good manners are more important than ice cream.” She waved at them both as they walked off.
“Come on, let’s go find somewhere else to get you a treat,” Hack said.
“Actually, I think I just want to go home.”
“Hey,” he said quietly, grasping hold of her chin to tilt her face back. “Don’t let that bitch ruin your day.”
“I won’t.” Although, she really wished she’d had the courage to snap back at the other woman. She’d just frozen. Her brain had stopped working. And now she felt tired and out-of-sorts. “But you’ve got ice cream at home, right?”
“Actually, I don’t think I do.”
Her eyes widened. “What? That’s terrible!”
“Let’s pick up some ice cream on the way home. I’ll make you a sundae and we can watch cartoons. Or build a fort.”
“You know how to build a fort, Daddy?” she asked.
“I’ll have you know that I’m the best fort builder in the whole of Billings. Maybe even the whole of Montana.”
“Really?”
“Yes, but we might have to stop for some fort building supplies. I have an idea.”
* * *
Two hours later,with her tummy happily filled with ice cream, Greer stood and stared at the most amazing fort she’d ever seen in her life.
Only . . . it wasn’t really a fort. It was more like . . .
“It’s a nest.”
