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"First time at this playground?" I ask, trying to keep my tone casual.
He nods, turning those intense eyes on me. "Yeah, we usually go to the one near TechForge, but Zola wanted a change of scenery."
"TechForge? That's where you work?" I'm genuinely curious now. It's not often you see orcs in tech fields.
"Project manager," he confirms with a hint of pride. "What about you?"
"I teach kindergarten," I reply, my cheeks warming under his interested gaze.
Rendal's eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiles. "Kindergarten teacher, huh? Bet that's a handful."
I laugh, nodding. "Oh, you have no idea. Some days I feel like I'm herding cats."
"Cats?" He quirks an eyebrow. "Try managing a team of developers. It's kinda like herding cats, too, only this bunch thinks they're all lions."
That gets me giggling. "Okay, you win. At least my kids don't argue about coding languages."
"No, just which crayon is the prettiest," he quips, his deep voice rumbling with amusement.
I can't help but grin. "Hey, that's a serious debate. You'd be surprised how heated things can get over periwinkle versus lavender."
Rendal chuckles, shaking his head. "I'll take your word for it. Though I gotta say, I'd probably side with periwinkle."
"A man of taste, I see," I tease, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. Why is it so easy to banter with him? It's pretty surprising.
We turn our attention back to the playground, where Penelope and Zola are now building a sandcastle together. They're chattering away, giggling and pointing at their creation.
"Looks like they're hitting it off," Rendal observes, a soft smile on his face.
"They sure are. Penelope's always been good at making friends, but I've never seen her click with someone so quickly."
He nods, his eyes never leaving the girls. "Zola's the same. Usually takes her all but two seconds to warm up to new people."
"Must be that irresistible charm," I joke, then immediately feel my cheeks heat up.
Did I really just say that?
Rendal turns to me, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh? And here I thought that was my thing."
I burst out laughing, covering my mouth with a hand. Maybe I'm just trying to hide the redness in my cheeks. "Wow, modest much?"
He grins, shrugging those broad shoulders. "Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it, right?"
"Is that what they teach you in project management?" I tease back, finding my footing in this playful banter.
"Nah, that's all natural talent." He winks, and I swear my heart does a little flip. As he turns to look at the girls again, he lets out a soft hum. "So where does Penelope go to school?"
"Greenfield. Where I teach."
"Seriously?" He perks a brow. And that glint in his eyes never dies out. "Zola will be starting there soon. Looks like our girls might be classmates."
I can't help but smile as Rendal shares a story about Zola's latest adventure. His deep voice rumbles with laughter, and I find myself entranced by his quips.
"So there she is, covered head to toe in flour, looking like a little ghost," he explains, shaking his head. "And she just looks up at me with those big blue eyes and says, 'Daddy, I made snow!' Man, I wanted to drop everything and walk out of my house so bad."
I burst out laughing, picturing the scene. "Oh my gosh, that's adorable! Penelope had a similar incident with baby powder once. I swear, I was finding that stuff for weeks."
Rendal grins, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Kids, right? They've got a knack for creative messes."
