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“You shaved your head?” André asked, eyebrows lifted. It wasn’t exactly a surprising idea, but it was younger than he assumed her punk rock ideals began.
Nikki rolled her eyes. “It was just half.” She ran her fingers through her silky strands on the right side of her head. “This side.” Her lips quirked with the memory. “Asa said I wouldn’t do it.”
Asa being involved wasn’t a surprise.
“Did she get into trouble?” André asked Mary.
Mary and Bob exchanged a look that said his question was sweet but misplaced.
Bob sighed. “We learned early on that Nikki was gonna do what Nikki was gonna do. Shaved heads and safety pin piercings were the least of our worries.” He smiled at his daughter who was smiling at her plate. “She was a wild child. We tried to focus on the important things. Was she kind? Was she happy? Was she healthy?”
Nikki beamed at her dad. “Happy, healthy, and alive.”
That permanent place in André’s heart where Nikki now resided took up more space. He rubbed at the spot on his chest.
He had not adequately prepared himself for this trip up north.
But he didn’t regret a single minute.
* * *
After breakfast they got back to work.
The three of them made a good team. André carried the shingles up to the roof, one bundle at a time, Nikki placed them out, and Bob nailed them down.
They took a small break for lunch when Mary brought them out sandwiches and lemonade. They sat on the ground under the shade of a large oak tree.
André reclined back on his elbows and stretched his legs out in front of him.
Nikki’s blue eyes tracked up his legs, his chest, his face until she realized he had caught her looking. He smiled and shot her a wink full of promise of what was to come later that night.
This.
This was what he’d been missing out on for two and a half years. Thirty months’ worth of family dinners and hot looks under an oak tree. Thirty months of Bob and Mary. Thirty months of home improvement projects with the best partner he’d ever had (don’t tell Javier).
He wasn’t going to miss any more.
Whether Nikki realized it yet or not, what had started with that kiss in her office yesterday was just the beginning. Or rather, a continuation after an egregiously long intermission.
“You’re going home tomorrow,” Bob broke into André’s peaceful thoughts.
André’s head swiveled in Bob’s direction, but Bob wasn’t addressing him. He was scowling the gentlest scowl André had ever seen at his daughter.
“Don’t think I’m so old that I can’t see when you’re using us as an excuse to avoid something.”
Nikki’s mouth fell open and she glanced between her dad and André.
André brought a hand up to cover the smile that he knew would not help the situation.
“Dad,” Nikki started, trying to sound reasonable, but it came out slightly panicked. “There’s still a lot of work to do.”
“The hard part is done.” Bob waved at the bunkhouse. “We have one bundle left thanks to Mr. Muscles, here.”
André had to turn his head away at that one, his smile was too wide.
“Dad,” Nikki huffed.
“Nicole Amelia Harry.” Bob matched her tone. “Stop trying to pull one over on your old dad. What is it? What’s she avoiding?” Bob asked.
