Page 28 of When In Doubt

“Oh, good.” Freya sighs in exaggerated relief. “I was so worried I was going to miss it!”

“They didn’t get here yet,” Birdie mumbles.

“No?”

“They line up over there and I pick.” Her little hand unclenches from the fabric it’s fisted in and waves toward the corner of the room where Mack’s rolling out a red carpet.

“And I bet you’re the best picker ever.” Freya grins. Fuck, that smile could knock someone over when she lets it go full force like that.

“Yeah, I am.” I can feel Birdie’s answering smile against my shoulder. She starts wriggling and I set her down. “I get some cake.”

I frown. “I’m pretty sure you’ve already had cake, Bird.”

She rolls her eyes at me like she’s thirteen and not three. “Yeah, strawberry cake. I want chocolate.”

I laugh. “Okay, kid. If you puke it’s your dad’s problem.”

“I not gonna puke.”

“If you say so.”

“I says so.” She nods before holding out an expectant hand. When I don’t respond she sighs, her whole head tipping back. “My axe?”

“You sure you’re not gonna cut someone’s fingers off?”

“It’s not sharp, silly.”

“Oh, my bad.” I grin, pulling the toy from my belt. “You be careful. Quit swinging it around like a pillager.”

“What’s a pillow-er?”

“Go ask your dad.” I give her a wave as she takes off running, axe held high once again. When I face Freya once more, her shoulders are tight, her eyes flitting around the space. “You okay?”

“Of course.” She pastes on a smile, but it’s not the same as before. “Just a lot to take in, you know?”

“Yeah, it can get a little rowdy.”

“It’s cool, though. People are having a lot of fun.”

I don’t know what it says about me that her approval right now feels more important than just about anyone else’s, but it’s probably nothing good.

“Yeah, definitely. Um, it was a team effort.”

Freya tucks a lock of hair behind her ear and I catch myself wondering what it would feel like under my fingertips. Luckily, before I can act on whatever impulse has suddenly seized me, Mack calls out to me from across the room.

“Shit, sorry.” I give Freya’s elbow a quick squeeze. She tenses under my palm and I release her instantly. Crap, I should have remembered she doesn’t like being touched. “I gotta go,” I rush out. “I’ll catch up with you later, but I’m really happy you came.”

I’m gone before she can reply.

“You’re fine. Just count to three and go!” I call up to the kid at the top of the pole who’s chewing his bottom lip as he considers the drop. We’ve got the big mat out at the bottom, and I’m here to catch him, but all the confidence he had on the ground has bled away now that he’s confronted with actually doing it.

“It’s kind of high,” he mumbles.

“I know, buddy, but you’re so brave! And I’m right here to catch you.”

“You promise?”

“Absolutely.”