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With Brayleigh on my hip, her diaper bag over my shoulder, and the box of donuts in the crook of my elbow, I headed up to the door.
Lucky opened the door wide, and Brayleigh threw her chubby arms into the air.
“Da!”
He caught her up in his arms with an easy grin, and she pressed her face into his, the tips of her fingers turning white where she pressed them against the back of his neck. My little girl loved hard.
Walking around them, I dumped the diaper bag on a kitchen chair and pushed the donuts across the table. “For Minty,” I informed him. “Don’t scarf them all down before she gets one.”
He laughed. “You take your chances like anyone else who brings treats.” Belying his words, he set them aside and quickly assessed me. “You good?”
“Yup.” I popped the ‘P’ and flopped into a chair.
He sat Brayleigh into her highchair between us and gave her a donut before offering the box to me with a grin.
I took my favorite and shoved half of it in my mouth.
Which is when Minty walked into the kitchen.
“Why?” I protested through the donut stuffed in my cheeks. “Why do you always enter when I’m acting like a teenage boy?”
Minty laughed while Brayleigh waved her donut in the air and squealed, “Sparky!” A nickname that suited her well. Minty was indeed sparkly.
“Hello, dolly,” she murmured softly and ran her palm over Brayleigh’s soft curls. She then turned her cool brown eyes to me. “As for you, it’s not often you don’t have something in your mouth. I’ve gained ten pounds in the weeks I’ve known you.” She pivoted to peek into the box. “What did you bring me?”
“All your favorites,” I bragged.
She laughed. “You did.” She reached an elegant hand out and snagged the one I knew she’d choose. She brought it up to her nose to inhale the sweetness before taking a delicate bite and closing her eyes around her moan.
My eyes flitted to Lucky. He stared at Minty with his mouth hanging half open.
I snorted. For damn sure he’d never looked at me like that.
“What do you have planned for today, beautiful?” Minty asked, taking the chair beside Lucky.
His arm looped around her waist and tugged her closer.
The details of their sweet interactions stood out in stark relief, imprinting a template on my brain for how things could be.
They gave me hope.
Because if Minty could get past my presence in Lucky’s life, perhaps I could find someone who would accept Lucky’s presence in mine. If not, it was a hit I’d have to take. We were a family, and I had no intention of letting anybody break us.
“Mine Sparky,” Brayleigh frowned at her dad’s arm around Minty.
Lucky bugged his eyes out at our daughter and started their game of arguing over who owned ‘Sparky’.
Minty’s cool gaze rested on me while she awaited my response.
I took a moment to chew.
And think.
Swallowing, I grabbed a napkin, buying myself another second. “I’m going to do a little shopping. Maybe stop by the bookstore if I have time, and I have plans to see a movie tonight.”
Minty’s brows rose. “Hm, anyone interesting?”
I waggled my eyebrows at her. “One can only hope.”
