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Vivi wraps her arms around one of Avery’s legs. “A’wy my pwince.”
Harper presses a hand to her heart, peering up at me. “She’s absolutely adorable. Avery didn’t mention you had a daughter.”
“Oh, no.” I shake my head, feeling a little flustered. “Vivi’s my niece. I’m watching her for the weekend.”
“Well, she looks just like you. You’re both beautiful.” She straightens and checks out the partway loaded-up stroller. “What are you three up to today?”
“We went for breakfast, just hit up the market, and now we’re heading to High Park,” Avery tells her.
Harper’s dark brows inch up her forehead. “Wow. Look at you guys. You’re like a cute little family.”
Avery reaches forward and pinches her arm. She slaps his hand away, face twisting in pain. “Ow, you fuck—” Her eyes slide to Vivi. “Oops. You…poop head.”
Vivi explodes in a fit of giggles. “Poop head! A’wy, you not a poop head! You a toot head!”
He touches his chest and gasps in mock hurt. “I am not!”
Harper laughs, her head shaking. “I can’t even handle this. This is adorable. Avery, who the hell—heck—knew you were so good with kids?”
He shrugs. “Beats me.”
“He turned quite a few heads at breakfast,” I tell Harper.
She snorts. “Yeah, I’ll bet. Trust me, Claire, it’s always been like that, our whole lives. Growing up with him as my older brother was hell.” She looks at her phone. “Shit—shoot—I gotta go.” She kisses Avery on the cheek and squeezes my hand. “It was so nice to meet you, Claire.” She crouches down in front of Vivi. “Princess Anna, it’s been an honor.”
In true Vivi-knows-no-boundaries fashion, she launches herself at Harper, wrapping her arms around her neck. “Buh-bye, Happy!”
“Happy?” Harper meets my eyes. She looks like she’s going to die from cuteness overload.
“She misses some letter sounds sometimes. Kinda makes her own words and names up as she goes.”
She taps Vivi on the nose. “You just made my day, little princess.” With a smile and a wink, she turns and strolls off down the street.
Hesitantly, Avery twists back to me, rubbing at the back of his neck. “Sooo…that was my sister…”
“And you talk about me to your sister?” I tease.
His eyes narrow and he grabs me by the shoulders, turning me toward the car that’s just pulled up beside us.“Mind your own business, Claire Bear.”
Oh, but I think I like this business.
***
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Claire
I have a serious love/hate relationship with how easy Avery is to be with. Our morning together passes so quickly that I find myself wishing it would slow down. It’s a dangerous train of thought, almost as dangerous as the permanent smile etched on my face.
Even Avery comments on how he’s never seen me smile so much and how we must be breaking some sort of record for number of hours passed without me scowling at him. The record is broken when I turn my scowl on him for that comment.
After a couple of hours at the zoo visiting with all the animals and another hour at the playground, we find a shady tree in the park to set up a blanket and have a late picnic lunch.
I post a few pictures from our day to my Instagram, including one of Avery and Vivi, and one of the three of us with an ostrich poking its head over my shoulder. Avery smiles over my shoulder while I post them, and I feel his lips brush against my cheek before he turns back to Vivi and the fake tea party they’re currently having. He’s such a good sport.
My post earns me three text messages in rapid succession.
Casey: Is my daughter third wheeling on your date?
