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“Sorry,” she said. “I’m not supposed to be rude. I just got excited.”
“Actually, I’d love to help.”
She bounced, but Blake said, “You don’t have to let her—”
“No, really. I’m going out of my mind with boredom. I’d be happy to have something else to do anyway, and it’s always fun to see someone young excited about dancing.”
He looked at me skeptically, still frowning, but a little less intently. “If you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“I want to.”
Elsie grinned at me, then turned and beamed at her uncle. He kept a stern face for a few seconds, then his face broke into the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. “Okay. As long as Callie wants to do it.”
She spun and hugged me tight like I’d known her for years, then ran to Blake and threw her arms around him. He kept smiling as he bent down and kissed the top of her head.
“Wow,” I said, sounding as stunned as I felt.
Everyone looked at me. Blake seemed to realize that he’d stopped scowling for a minute. He frowned and said, “What?”
“I had no idea you knew how to smile. You should do it more often.”
I had a feeling he did, but only when Elsie was around.
His frown deepened, paired with a sigh. Lisa gave me an approving look. Maybe it was a sentiment she shared.
Then we sat at the kitchen counter and ate pie while Elsie peppered me with questions about the dance company, my auditions, and almost every little detail about dancing that you could only get from someone who had been through the process.
It was the most fun I’d had since I got there. When Elsie helped Blake clean up the dishes, Lisa and I sat in the living room and talked for a little while about her popular bakery in town, The Crumble. Most business owners came in regularly, and it had a string of regular customers too.
My mouth watered at the list of pies, cookies, and cakes she sold on a regular basis. I hoped she stopped by more often, not just for the pie, but for the conversation.
“Jessie was going to come with us, but she had ...” She looked toward the kitchen and Elsie, who was chatting Blake’s ear off at the sink. “A date,” she mouthed. Then she spoke softly. “Elsie’s dad passed away a few years ago, and one of our regular customers is such a nice man who really seems to care for Jess and Elsie. She insisted she wasn’t ready yet, but I talked her into going. If nothing else, she gets to have some grown-up fun for a change.”
“Oh,” I said. “That must be hard.” I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t imagine how hard it was to be a mother at all, let alone a single one because your partner died young. How awful.
She sipped her tea. “Of course, since I helped push her into it, if it’s a disaster, I’m going to have a rough week at work.”
She laughed at that, and it was contagious. I smiled with her, and then she and Elsie were ready to go so Elsie could do some homework.
“Thank you so much for the delicious pie and the conversation,” I said. Then I looked at Elsie. “I’m really looking forward to helping you with your audition.”
“Thank you so much!” she said with a squeal and shot another beaming smile at her uncle, who returned it. His smile made my breath catch in my chest.
I’d known he was gorgeous from the moment he caught me when I tripped at the gala five years ago. But when he smiled at Elsie, his entire face gone full-blown with love for her, he was stunning.
After they left, we moved to the kitchen, where he stood with his back to me at the sink, drying and putting away plates. I got the feeling he was avoiding looking at me because he stayed like that for what felt like several minutes.
“Your mom’s pie was delicious. I hope I get to try several more.”
That seemed to reset something for him, because he turned to glance my way. “I’m sure you will. She or Jessie will probably bring a different kind every time they bring Elsie. They love to feed people.”
“Makes sense. Bakery and everything.”
Blake started to turn again, so I said, “You really should smile more, you know.”
He eyed me with a scowl. “If I said that to you, I’d be considered sexist, wouldn’t I?”
“Fair point. I’m just saying, it’s true. I hadn’t seen you smile like that before.”
