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After rushinghome to change into jeans and a t-shirt, I picked up Ethan and Olivia from after school and delivered them to my parents for the weekend.
Guilt swamped my chest when I considered I was dumping my kids off in order to hang out at a bar. I tried to remind myself that they were ecstatic to spend another weekend with their grandparents, and my folks were hardly less enthused. Ethan barely shouted out ‘goodbye’ before he ran straight into the garage to see what his grandpa was up to at his workbench.
Olivia, as always, was a bit more perceptive. “Are you okay, Daddy?” She peered up at me as I walked her to the front door.
“I’m fine, Livvie.”
You’re acting weird. Why’d you change clothes?”
“Because I have a work thing tonight.”
“With Ellie?”
“Maybe.”
She grinned. We’d reached the steps, and she bounded up to the top and spun around to face me. “Ask her about the horses.”
My answering smile came easily. “You got it, kiddo.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” She wrapped her little arms around my neck and pulled me closer for a hug.
I held her tightly and breathed her in. She smelled like apple shampoo, and my heart swelled, sudden emotion rising like a wave in my chest.
“I love you, Livvie. And I’m so proud of you. Did you know that?”
She pulled back and nodded. “I know.”
Just then, Ethan raced out of the garage and charged up the porch steps. Not to be outdone, he dove into my chest for a hug, too.
I squeezed both of them together, my eyes flooding with emotion that also inexplicably blocked my throat. I rubbed their little backs and dropped my cheek on top of their heads for just a moment. As much as I wished I could make this last forever, I knew I had to let them go. I seared it into my memory, then leaned back and dropped a kiss on both of their foreheads.
“I love you guys. Have fun with Gramma and Grandpa, and listen to them! I’ll see you Sunday.”
“Love you, Daddy.” Olivia turned and headed for the entrance.
“Love you more!” Ethan shouted before tearing off into the house, cutting Livvie off at the doorway.
A fond chuckle rose in my chest, and I pulled in a deep breath, tilting my head back to draw the threatening tears back into my eyes. These little moments proved I was doing the right thing. Every day they seemed to shine a little brighter, to open up to me a little more, and each time felt like a massive win.
I knew I should pop in and say hi to my folks, but a glance at my watch sent me back to my car at double time—I was running dangerously close to being late.
Fortunately, I made it through town to Peak 9 in record time and walked in to Seasons exactly at seven.
“My my, you are punctual, I’ll give you that.” Ellie was at the end of a gleaming mahogany bar, connecting her laptop to the projector wiring. The device itself was suspended from the ceiling in the center of the room, and already playing a mirror image of her desktop on the screen on the far wall.
Ellie had changed clothes as well, and just the sight of her sent my pulse racing. She wore a black tank top and a pair of worn-in jeans that hugged her figure in a sinful way for such a casual outfit. My mouth watered, and I swallowed down the nerves.
Oblivious to my ogling, she asked, “Have you always been like that, or is it a military thing?”
It took me a second to realize she was talking about the punctuality. I shoved my hands in my pockets, walking slowly to her position in what I hoped was a casual stroll. “Truthfully? I was always late foreverythingin high school. So I can definitely say it’s the military that made me this way. They kind of instill an automatic panic response at the idea of being late that just never goes away.”
She laughed. “Well, I’m glad I never joined. I don’t think I’d be well-suited to that life. Do you have the thumb drive?”
“Yes, right here, sorry.” I pulled the small cylinder from my pocket and handed it to her.
She removed the cap and installed the device on her laptop, tapping open the slideshow.
