Page 18 of Holding Ground

After they’ve said hello, Ansel comes into the kitchen wearing his navy cargo pants and a matching T-shirt bearing the fire department logo. He’s carrying Baylor on his hip. “Hey, man.”

“Hey.” I nod and look at my daughter. “Did you bring home your lunchbox?”

She twists her little mouth side to side. “I think I left it in my cubby at school.”

I blow out a breath. “All right, try to remember to bring it home tomorrow, okay?”

Without acknowledging my request, she changes the topic. “Daddy, can you put my hair in a French braid crown tomorrow? Gabrielle had one today, and it was sooo pretty. I want one too.” She kicks her feet for Ansel to set her down, so he does.

My chest squeezes. I want to be able to give Baylor everything she needs to feel as though she fits in with her friends, but I’m out of my depth with a French braid crown.

I cringe. “Sorry, kiddo, that’s a little advanced for me.”

“Yeah, your dad can barely handle a ponytail.” Ansel chuckles, and I cut him a look.

“But I really want one. Can’t you try?” Her big blue eyes stare up at me with such hope in them that I have to suck in a breath, knowing I’m going to disappoint her.

“Not sure I’ll ever be able to pull that off, but I tell you what…I’ll watch some YouTube videos and see if I can find something more than a ponytail I think I’ll be able to do.”

A frown mars her face, and her shoulders droop. “Okay, Daddy.”

“How are you liking kindergarten?” Ansel asks. I’m thankful to him for changing the subject.

“It’s fun so far. Want to see the picture I colored at school, Uncle Ansel?” Without waiting for an answer, she rushes off to her room where she’s already displayed it proudly on the bulletin board my brother Hollis made her for Christmas last year.

I walk over to the fridge to pull out the lunch meat to make Baylor’s sandwich.

“You know, if you had a woman around, maybe she could do Baylor’s hair.”

“Don’t start.” Ansel is always on me to start dating someone. He can’t seem to understand that the only thing I’m interested in is maintaining a stable life for my daughter.

He raises both hands. “Fine, fine. It’d just fall on deaf ears like it always does.” He walks over to stand at the sliding glass doors and look outside while I grab the loaf of bread.

“Here it is, Uncle Ansel. Look!” Baylor rushes over to him, proudly holding her picture of a cartoon bear in the woods. She actually did a decent job staying in the lines.

“Wow, you’re a regular Picasso.” Ansel smiles at the picture.

“Picas-who?” Baylor’s forehead wrinkles.

Ansel laughs and ruffles her hair. “It just means you’re really good. I especially like how you decided to make the bear purple instead of black or brown.”

“Those colors are ugly.”

“I guess they are.” He bends down and picks her up again. “I can’t believe you’re already in kindergarten. I’m going to blink, and you’ll be in high school.”

Her head tilts. “I’ll stay little for you, Uncle Ansel.”

His brown eyes twinkle with amusement. “Glad to hear it.”

Something catches both their attention on the other side of the glass because they turn to look in that direction as I pull out two pieces of bread.

“Look!” Baylor points out the window with a huge smile. I don’t need to look to know—Emelia.

“So that’s the woman here to do the developer’s bidding, huh?” From the tone of his voice, it’s clear to me that Ansel has clocked how attractive she is.

Baylor wiggles in Ansel’s arms to be let down. “Can I go show Emelia my picture, Daddy? Please?” When he sets her on the floor, she jumps up and down on the spot, waving the sheet of paper. “Please, Daddy?”

“Baylor, I told you. She’s a guest. You’re not to be bothering her.” I fold the tab back on the loaf of bread.