Life and Other Inconveniences(97)

“She my horse!” Tess confirmed, hugging Riley’s neck tightly.

My heart swelled with love for my girl. Once, I’d been so afraid she’d reject me when she became a teenager (and there was still time). When she was tiny, I was afraid I’d love her less as she grew out of her infancy, toddler years, little-kid years.

It hadn’t happened. Every day, I loved her more. Every single day.

“Get that look off your face, you big softy,” Riley said.

When we found Miller, his jaw dropped. “Tess! You look so pretty! And clean!”

“I’m going to find the boys,” Riley said.

“I come, too,” Tess said.

“Okay. You have to hold my hand, though,” Riley said.

Off they went, looking damn adorable.

“I can’t . . . I don’t know how she does it. Riley. She’s so good with her,” Miller said.

“She loves little kids.”

“You do, too,” he said. “That thing you did with her straps so they wouldn’t fall down, and combing her hair . . . She won’t let me near her with a brush.”

I patted his arm. “I have the advantage of being a glamorous stranger.”

He smiled a little. “How do you learn all that stuff?”

“You just do it. Dr. Spock says you know more than you think you do about taking care of your kid. And it gets easier when they learn to talk about how they’re feeling. Tess is bright. It won’t be long.”

“I hope you’re right.” He glanced at me. “You hungry?”

We got some food and sat at a table, swatting the occasional mosquito as we ate. It seemed that every time we started to talk about something, someone would do a double take when they saw Miller, and say, “So good to see you!” or “How are you?” or “You look wonderful!”

“Sorry everyone’s giving me the Sad Widower treatment,” he said after one woman had hugged him a little too long.

“They’re glad to see you,” I said.

“I don’t get out a lot. Grocery shopping is the height of my social life.”

“Don’t knock it. I worked at a grocery store for years. It was my lifeline to the real world.”

He laughed a little, and my heart squeezed.

I really liked this guy.

When the fireworks started, we found the kids, all sitting on a blanket, Tess sitting on Riley’s lap, Rav flanked by Duncan and Owen. All of them gazed up at the sky over the Sound as the fireworks lit up the night, and truly, if there was a more perfect moment, I didn’t know what it was . . . those five kids, all still young enough to be awed by the fireworks, their faces perfect in the glow.

Afterward, the guests started to leave, all of them stopping to thank Genevieve, who stood there like the queen. I chatted with some of the guests, most of whom mentioned how lovely Riley was, with which I fully concurred.

I waved to the Talwar family as they walked past. Saanvi indicated that I should call her, and I nodded and smiled. Rav waved, too. He seemed like a sweet kid. Miller emerged from the crowd, Tess wriggling like an otter in his arms, whining. His hair ruffled in the breeze.

“You want to have that dinner tomorrow?” Miller asked over Tess’s complaints. “Kimmy said she’d babysit. I meant to ask earlier, but things got a little backed up at work.”

I was glad he said so, since I’d been wondering when he was going to make good on that invitation.

“I’d love to have dinner,” I said.

“No! No dinner!” Tess said. “I hate dinner!”

“You’re not coming,” Miller said, wincing slightly as she caught him in the side of his head with her elbow. “Just Emma and me.” The corner of his mouth pulled up in a smile, and there it was again, that warm squeeze of attraction. It had been a long, long time.

“I better get this one home,” he said.

“No! Not home, Daddy! We not leaving!”

He ignored her despite her struggles. He just held on tight and kept looking at me, that faint smile on his lips.

God. There was something about him.

Just then, Jason came bounding up. “Left off the invite list to the biggest party in town yet again,” he said with a grin. “Keeping my record pure, at least. How were the boys?”

“From what I saw, they were great,” I said.

“Is it okay if I leave them with you and Riley tomorrow?” he said. “I have to do something.”

“Um . . . actually, I have plans tomorrow. And they’ve been here since four.”

“Right. Hey, can we talk for a sec?”

He hadn’t acknowledged his cousin yet. “Sure,” I said. “Miller, it was great seeing you. Bye, Tess! Can I give you a hug?”

“No.”

“Okay.” I knew better than to ask a child to accept physical contact if she didn’t want to. “It was fun playing with you.”

She let out a wail that made my bone marrow vibrate. Miller gave us a nod and left, Tess writhing as if she were on fire. “Daddy, you hurt me! You hurting me, Daddy!”

“Jesus, that kid,” Jason said.

“She’s going through a rough stage,” I said, feeling protective of the little demon.

“Yeah, well, at least Riley never did.”