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She grabs my hand and begins to pull me along, leaving a very confused-looking Aiden in our wake as she tugs me toward the Disney princess in question. A very pretty actor with dark curls and golden skin is skipping nearby in an embroidered teal skirt and flowing white blouse. It’s the glasses that give it away, though, round and bright green. They stop to wave at the little kids she passes, and Sophie is close to hyperventilating the closer we get.
“Cassie! Cassie! It’s Mirabel!”
“I see her,” I laugh. “Do you want to go meet her?”
“Can I?”
“Go on,” I urge, pushing her toward the actor, who is only a good ten feet away now. “We’ll be right here.”
Sophie practically sprints in Mirabel’s direction, only slowing when she’s a foot or so away as she hangs back patiently, waiting for the actor dressed as Mirabel to finish speaking with a boy who looks to be a tad bit younger than Sophie.
“Am I supposed to know what just happened?”
I glance over at Aiden, who has finally caught up. “You have got to get up to speed with theEncantocraze,” I chuckle.
“Apparently.” He stands next to me, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her this excited.”
“She’s obsessed with Mirabel,” I inform him. “It’s a cute movie. You should watch it.”
“I’ll try to make a point to ask her next week,” he promises.
We both watch as Sophie finally gets her turn to approach Mirabel, her face lighting up when the actor squats down to her level, giving her a bright smile. I can’t hear what they’re talking about, but given that Sophie looks like she’s met the child’s equivalent of the president, it must be good.
“You’re surviving Disney pretty well,” I point out, unscrewing my drink to take another swig. “I thought the ears were going to do you in.”
He reaches to touch the Mickey Mouse ears that Sophie insisted on getting only to chuck hers for a tiara the second she saw the boutique. “I’m guessing this is what dad rock bottom looks like.”
“They’re cute, don’t worry,” I laugh.
He clears his throat subtly. “Are they?”
“Yeah, they’re—” It’s a mistake, looking up at him, because how in the world does someone wearing all black at Disney and sporting Mickey Mouse ears manage to look so tempting? I can’t see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but it doesn’t matter, I think, because it’s obvious that he’s looking right at me. “You pull them off,” I say a little more quietly.
I watch his jaw work subtly for only a moment before he looks back toward Sophie, who is having Mirabel sign her autograph book. “So do you.”
You could just ask him,something whispers in my head.Youcould just ask what he meant at the park. What’s the worst that could happen?
He could tell me he was just being nice. That’s what.
“Hey, Aiden, about—”
“Dad! Cassie!”
I whip my head around to catch Sophie frantically pointing at a bush just behind her, just able to make out a curly head of hair and an emerald-green poncho. The actor looks as nervous as their namesake, peeking up from behind a branch and giving Sophie a shy wave as she rushes over to them.
“So, we’re gonna talk about Bruno,” I half sing.
Aiden frowns. “What?”
“Nothing,” I laugh. “We better go get her before she hyperventilates.”
It’s probably for the best,I think.Curiosity killed the cat.
Forget the cat, it’s my damned feelings I’m more worried about.
I don’t attempt to bring it up for the rest of the day.
—
