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I put the enchiladas into the oven to heat and went to take a quick shower, feeling more excited than I should about helping Sly with his schoolwork.
If I was honest with myself, I was hoping for a lot more than dinner and homework.
CHAPTER14
SLY
LET’S TALK ABOUT CORN
Isaw Clara’s car pull in and did my best to give her a solid half hour to unwind from work. Who knew what kind of recovery a person needed after wrestling bears and rolling around in mud all day?
She pulled open the door before I even knocked, and hit me with a warm smile that almost knocked my feet out from under me. Katie slammed into me with a full-body hit to the legs, and that one practically did take my legs out from under me.
“Careful champ,” I told her, reaching down to lift her up and set her against my hip. “You just may have a future wrestling bears like your mom.”
“I don’t—” Clara started to argue, but Katie was already talking. Loudly.
“I’m not gonna be a biologist. I’m gonna be a hockey player. Like you.”
Clara gave her an indulgent smile and reached for her, but I shook my head. “I’ve got her. We need to talk about hockey anyway,” I said.
“You sure? Sounds like you two spent the whole day together already.”
We had. And it had actually been one of the best days in recent memory.
“You can never get enough tea parties with the queen,” I told her.
“Oh no. I didn’t even hear about that part.” Clara laughed as she moved into the kitchen and I followed her, settling at the table with Katie on my lap.
“You didn’t tell your mom about the queen?” I asked her.
Katie smiled up at me. “I don’t tell my mom everything, Sillllvester.”
“How was work?” I asked. Clara was bustling around, pulling a tray of enchiladas from the oven and then tossing a salad on the island. “Hey, can I help?”
“You’re keeping the trip hazard contained. That is help,” she said. “And work was...it was good.”
“Hesitation,” I observed, my interest piqued. She tucked her hair behind her ear, a tiny smile on her lips. “Something’s up.”
“I got the promotion today.” She said this more quietly, as if she didn’t want to scare it away by stating it too loudly.
“Of course you did,” I said. “Congratulations!”
She held a spatula in the air and gave me a funny look, tilting her head sideways. “What do you mean, of course I did?”
“You’re fu—” I paused, looking at the little blond girl in my lap. “You’re crazy smart. Always have been. I think you’ll get anything you decide you want.”
She pressed her lips into a half smile. “Well that’s a nice thing to say.”
“Just truth.” I stood up, setting Katie down and looking around the kitchen. “Should we celebrate? Do you have champagne?” I wished I’d known earlier. I would have brought champagne. And flowers, maybe.
“I don’t. It’s okay.”
I looked into the big eyes of the little girl at my side and winked at her and then put my finger to my lips, telling her not to blow my secret, as I pulled out my phone. I could fix this.
“Okay, time for dinner. It’s a serve-yourself affair,” Clara said, waving toward the plates on the counter. “Here, Katie.” She filled a plate for Katie, who was looking more annoyed by the second.
“I can do it.” Katie went to the side of the refrigerator and retrieved a step stool and then climbed up next to her mother and inspected the plate she’d prepared. “Too much salad.”
