Page 28 of Minnie: Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

Minnie’s practically glowing as she talks about swim class. She’s so bright and happy and full of life. I’m so lucky I get to spend time with her every week—and I don’t fucking tell her enough.

“And then,” she says, eyes bright, “Natty jumped into the water all by himself. Didn’t you, Natty?”

My boy nods proudly, but his words are drowned out by a roar a few tables over. Birch, a bear shifter who is in prison on drug charges, is glaring at his brother. “Pancakes are less structurally stable,” he snaps.

“Well, waffles are co-dependent,” his brother fires back. “Need a fucking waffle iron, like a pan isn’t good enough.”

Alyssa whips her chair around to face them—a chair that was definitely bolted to the floor when we arrived. “Anything worthwhile requires accessories. You telling me you don’t wear earrings or a proper belt?”

Birch’s brother glances down at his crotch, and they launch into a new debate. Which is fine by me, since it gives our little table some privacy. Alyssa may be a good friend, but this is the only alone time Minnie, Natty and I get.

“What do you guys say, waffles or pancakes?”

“Waffles,” Natty says immediately. “With ice cream!”

Minnie worries her lower lip, and I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to pull her into my arms and kiss the living daylights out of her. As if she’d want me to. The first time she saw me, I was in handcuffs, for fuck’s sake. And I know she loves my son, but there’s no reason those feelings extend to me.

And even if they do, I’ve still got two years left in this place. Plenty of time for her to meet another man, fall in love, and get married. Not a thing I could do about it if she did.

“Actually…” Minnie hesitates. “I like them equally. I think…”

“You think?” I ask.

Her cheeks flush in that adorable way I love, and she shrugs.

I grin. “Good, because I’m a pancake guy myself. With a side of bacon, sausage, and eggs. Soon as I’m out of here, I’m buying you two breakfast.”

Natty squeals. “Can we go now? Please, Daddy?”

His words make my heart soar and shatter all at once. “I wish I could, bud. I really, really, do.”

Minnie ruffles his hair. “You have to wait until you’re a little older, Natty.”

The little boy pouts. “Why?”

“Because your daddy can’t right now, but he can when you’re this old. She holds up five fingers.

Natty taps her thumb. “One.” Index finger. “Two.” Middle finger. “Six.” Ring finger. “Five.” Pinkie. “Ten!”

Minnie ruffles his hair and grins. “Something like that.”

“When you’re five,” I whisper past the lump caught in my throat.

By the time I’m free, Natty will have formed long-term memories of his dad in an orange jumpsuit… and I’ll have missed half of my boy’s childhood.

“One day, I’ll make you breakfast and take you swimming, Natty Spaghetti. At a real beach, by the ocean.”

Natty bounces in his seat. I worry about him falling out, but I know Minnie’s got it. “Can we see baby shark?” he asks.

I grin. “Definitely.”

Natty grins back. “Daddy, we’re squatting.”

I frown.

Minnie grabs Natty’s shoulder, and I realize why when she says, “Natty saw me working out this morning.” Last thing we need is for him to demonstrate.

My girl’s cheeks flush and she doesn’t meet my eye, and I wonder what she has to be embarrassed about. Maybe the comment she made earlier, when she was totally checking me out.