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“You think so?” Avery asks. I’m about to jam my foot into his shin when his gaze floats to mine and he smiles, smooth chocolate eyes dancing. “I think she looks more like my beautiful wife.”
My jaw unhinges. The waitress stops twisting. She glances my way—for the first time ever since taking my food order.
Her eyes drift over my face, my hair. “Oh. Right. I guess.”
Vivi pipes up, because why wouldn’t she? “They like to kiss and tickle.”
I choke on the water I’m busy drinking to distract from the fact that Avery just pretended I was his wife. Avery chuckles under his breath. The waitress gives us a smile so tight it looks painful, then turns and stalks off.
“Well, that was fun,” Avery says, mouth set in a permanent, crooked grin as we walk toward the market.
I snort. “Does that happen everywhere you go? Women touching you and flirting so blatantly with you, regardless of your company?”
He presses a hand to his chest. “Why, Claire, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were jealous.”
I roll my eyes. I do a lot of that with him. “Not jealous.” Lies. “Just annoyed.” Not a lie.
“Mhmm. I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about it, but, yeah, it does happen a lot.” He wags his brows. “Guess I’m gonna need to start bringing my wife and daughter with me everywhere I go.”
Vivi, who’s riding on his shoulders, curls over his head, one thumb in her mouth and her free hand wrapping around his jaw in the weirdest but cutest display of affection. “I luh you, A’wy.”
The look he gives her is so sweet and full of wonder. “I love you too, princess,” he tells her softly. He tips his head up and she plants a smooch right on his lips. Fucking ugh.
I wish I were more coordinated, less easily distracted, but I’m not. That’s why my feet somehow tangle together and I stumble forward. Avery’s hand wraps around my elbow, steadying me without any effort on his part.
We’re only an hour into our day. How am I going to survive this? These two need to tuck their cute away.
At the market, we pick up fresh buns and meat and cheese for sandwiches, fruit, and some drool-worthy, gooey, freshly baked cookies. When we’re done, we head back outside to wait for our Uber so we can make our way over to the park.
I spy a dark-haired beauty catch sight of Avery. Her eyes widen and she sizes him up before her face splits in two with her huge, perfect, pearly-white smile, and that green monster inside me rears its ugly head. I hate that I can’t tamp it down, make it disappear.
“Avery?” she calls with wonder as she approaches us. She’s definitely not deterred by our presence with him, so I don’t think his fake family plan is working the way he thought it would.
Avery’s eyes flit to me, and I notice the unease he wears on his face, making the knot of tension in my stomach tighten.
“What are you doing here?” She crosses her arms over her chest, smirking at him, one perfect eyebrow arching. “And with a tiny child, no less.”
She’s beautiful, incredibly so, but she feels familiar, too. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Her deep brown eyes drink me in, and I feel suddenly very self-conscious.
She tilts her head to the side, her smirk turning into a curious smile. “Is this Cl—”
Avery cuts her off, wrapping his arm around her neck, his big hand swallowing up half her face while she tries to pry his fingers off her. He lets out a nervous laugh and looks at me. “Claire, this is my sister, Harper. Harper, this is Claire.”
Sister? Yeah, there’s that big sigh of relief. The fist that was clenching in my stomach unfurls and my shoulders drop.
It’s no wonder she seemed familiar. With the same wavy brown locks, the dark chocolate eyes, that teasing smirk, the two of them could pass for twins, though his sister looks to be a few years younger than him.
Harper holds her hand out, grinning. “Hi Claire. I’ve heardso muchabout you.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Avery buries on a low groan, averting his gaze.
With a sheepish smile, I shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Harper.”
She crouches down in front of Vivi. “And who might you be, little princess?”
Vivi puffs her chest out. “I Pwincess Anna!”
Harper slaps the heel of her palm to her forehead. “Oh! Of course you are! And where’s your prince? Where’s Kristoff?” Using her hand as a visor, she pretends to look around.
