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“This way.” I guide her with our hands entwined. My fingers tingle where we touch, and the feeling spreads up my arm until my heart pounds. A warmth fills my chest, but the pain remains absent.
Shock and bewilderment war it out inside me as we leave the building. Will I ever get used to this?
We’re near the parking lot when they come into sight. Daniel and Belle.
My brother always stands out, but with my tiny niece strapped to his chest in a baby sling, it’s a sight to behold. One that fixes a part of my heart every time I see it.
“Hi, princess,” I coo, stroking Belle’s cheek. Ithrow Lara a quick look. “Who knows, maybe one day I’ll have three princesses, maybe even more,” I tease, rubbing her belly.
Lara quickly slaps my hand away from her body. “You will not!” she snaps.
“I wasn’t asking,” I whisper, dropping a quick kiss to her lips to stop any further response.
The sharp contact with the back of my hand brings old feelings back, but I shove it down quickly. Still, my heart gives a slight flutter of panic.
“Lara, meet Isabelle. Belle, this is your aunt Lara.” Just when I think her eyes can’t get any rounder, my girl proves me wrong.
Lara reaches out and tickles the baby. Good, it’s important for me that Daniel’s family and mine get along well. They’ll spend a lifetime together.
“Are Mom and Dad still insisting we go to the cabin for some family time tonight?” I ask Daniel, pretending to eat Belle’s feet.
Her squeal fills the air, causing her dad and I to smile.
“Yes.” My brother shrugs. “Something about families don’t yell at each other and Sam being grounded. Mom’s upset we all bailed on staying at the cabin for the weekend, too. Do I need to worry about Samantha?”
“No, Kaleb has it handled.” The two of us share a look at my words.
He knows too.
“Are my girls going?”
He glares at my question.
“Depends, is mine?” He retaliates, nodding at Lara.
“Point taken.” I smirk.
“I got to do a round and then pick up my wife from her class.”
“We’ll head over now.”
I hold my hand out, but Lara ignores it, crossing her arms instead.
“You do security rounds with your daughter strapped to you?”
Daniel nods. “Safest place for her.”
“Daniel only checks in on all security desks. He’s not actually doing any guarding, not today at least,” I reassure her. “Thanks for getting me in the building,” I tell Daniel.
He nods, turning to leave.
“Bye, princess,” I call out. A squeal and mushed-together words are returned to me as they cross the parking lot, heading toward the back of the building.
Lara turns toward my truck, her arms still folded.
“We’ll need to restock the cabin. My family uses it pretty often, but no one had planned to use it after Halloween for a few weeks. Seeing as we have the rest of the day free, we’ll do it.”
She doesn’t respond, but that’s okay. I have a lifetime to make her come around.
