Nora #2
After a few measures, I felt a little weird just singing and dancing alone, so I stretched out my hands to the girls and asked, “Would any of my princess friends like to join me on the dance floor?”
Several hands shot up, so as I continued to sing and sway to the music, I moved through the living room, taking each girl by the hand one by one to give them a twirl.
And before long, the entire room was alive and shimmering with the sparkly tulle dresses of the mini-princesses dancing about the room.
I was just starting the last chorus when movement at the back of the room caught my eye.
The sliding door from the backyard opened, and three men stepped inside, likely dads who’d been hanging out in the backyard.
When one of them turned toward me, dark hair falling across his forehead and his familiar green eyes catching mine, heat rose up my neck in an instant.
Because of all people to catch me dancing around as a fairytale princess with a bunch of three-year-olds, it had to be my best friend’s older brother, Theo Archibald. The impossibly good-looking, successful corporate lawyer I’d been trying all year not to have a crush on.
His eyes met mine across the room. Recognition flashed, and one corner of his mouth lifted in an amused smirk that made my already-blushing cheeks feel like they might combust.
“Daddy!” Charlotte squealed when she saw her father, running straight toward him. “Come dance with me!”
Theo froze for half a second, his hand hovering awkwardly in the air as if he wasn’t sure what to do with it.
Then his gaze flicked to me, as if he’d suddenly realized he was about to dance in front of someone who wasn’t three feet tall.
He shook off the hesitation, his expression softening as he bent to scoop Charlotte into his arms.
“You want to dance like a princess, huh?” he said, his voice roughened by a laugh as he spun her around once before settling her on his hip.
And watching him give in so easily to her joy, followed by the way she clung to him and giggled like he’d hung the moon, made my heart completely melt.
There was just something so sweet about dads and the little girls who had them wrapped around their fingers.
When the song ended, I dipped into a curtsy, and the room erupted in a chorus of claps and giggles.
“Okay, everyone!” The birthday girl’s mom reappeared from the kitchen, probably knowing it would be hard to settle the girls back down to listen to the rest of the story I’d been reading. “It’s picture time! Can we get a photo of Princess Belle with all the other princesses?”
“I get to be by Belle!” Charlotte called, making a beeline from her dad straight to me.
So, with Charlotte on one side, the birthday girl on the other, and all the other girls settling around us, we smiled for the camera, adding in a few fancy princess poses while we were at it.
“Perfect,” Cassia said after the photo shoot was complete. “Now, let’s all go into the kitchen to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Princess Aspen and eat cake and ice cream!”
While the girls scattered toward the kitchen, I tucked the book and speaker I’d brought back into my princess bag, then followed the group into the kitchen.
The castle-shaped cake on the table was almost too cute to eat, with pink turrets, white frosting walls, and little flags made of candy. Everyone gathered around as Cassia lit the candles, and we began to sing.
Halfway through, I noticed Theo step up beside me, his deep, steady voice carrying through the chorus. I glanced sideways, curiosity instantly piqued. Because for a serious corporate lawyer, my best friend’s brother had a surprisingly good singing voice. Deep, smooth, and, yeah, downright sexy.
Who knew the birthday song could be so hot?
While he watched the birthday girl blow out her candles, I let myself take more of him in.
His dark hair was neatly trimmed, just barely long enough on top to show a hint of curl, which told me where his daughter got hers.
His emerald-green eyes were framed by unfairly thick, dark lashes that caught the light when he smiled.
And his tall, athletic frame made my five-foot-one self feel tiny, even in the three-inch heels I wore.
And even though I’d heard “dad bods” were a thing, Theo Archibald apparently hadn’t gotten the memo, because his shoulders filled out his navy polo shirt nicely.
So nicely that when he reached up to rub the back of his tanned neck, his bicep flexed in a way that made me wonder how he found time for the gym with all those billable hours.
Yep, my best friend’s brother was a total hottie, even if the eight-year age gap and the fact that we were in completely different stages of life told me I shouldn’t think so.
The song ended, and as the birthday girl blew out her candles, Theo leaned closer to me. In a low voice, he asked, “So, do you still have princess duties after this? Any more musical numbers I should look forward to?”
My cheeks warmed as I looked up at him. “No more musical numbers.”
“Too bad,” he said, a half-smile appearing on his lips. “I’m sad I only got to hear the last verse.”
“I bet.” I chuckled, knowing from the way he’d sung the birthday song a moment ago that his voice was much better than mine.
“But the birthday girl’s mom knew the girls would have a lot of extra energy to burn off after the cake and ice cream, so she asked me to entertain them with other princess games outside. ”
“Planning to show off some of your stunts in that big, fluffy dress? Or do you have a leotard hidden underneath there?” His eyes raked over me, making my stomach flip. “Because they’re missing out if they didn’t ask you to show off some tumbling skills while they’ve got an NCAA gymnast here.”
“I actually do have that listed on my princess profile.” I laughed softly, urging my cheeks to cool. “Just in case anyone wants a little acrobatic magic. But no, today it’s just ring-around-the-rosies, dancing around a maypole, and a little hide-and-seek.”
“Missed opportunity,” he said, his broad shoulders falling with mock disappointment. “I’ll have to push for that next time.”
“Next time?” I asked, arching an eyebrow. “Do you attend many princess parties these days?”
“It’s definitely been a theme for Charlotte’s friends this year.
” He grinned, the slight dimple in his cheek showing.
“And now that you’ve brought it up, do you think you’ll still be doing this princess gig next March?
Because if so, I might have to book your professional princess services for Charlotte’s birthday party. ”
“I’m actually hoping to have a steadier job by then.” I tucked a stray curl behind my ear. “But if you really want Belle or one of my other princess alter egos to show up again, I’m sure I can pencil Charlotte’s party into my calendar.”
“Good.”
He looked like he was about to say something else, but when I caught sight of a slightly frazzled host trying to serve cake and ice cream by herself to a table full of tiny royals chanting for cake, I excused myself and stepped up to the counter.
“Would you mind if I helped serve the other princesses?” I asked Cassia in my best cheerful Belle voice.
“Oh yes, please.” She looked up, relief flooding her expression. “That would be wonderful.”
So while she filled the plates, I carried them to the royal guests.
As I handed a slice to a grinning Charlotte, I caught Theo out of the corner of my eye, standing near the other dads and laughing at something one of them said. Then, for just a moment, his gaze flicked my way, that easy half-smile curving his mouth again.
Don’t read into it, I warned myself, forcing my pulse to slow.
Just because I hadn’t managed to shake the crush that started last fall, after catching him in that perfectly-tailored suit at the university’s gymnastics team fundraiser and looking every bit the confident, impossibly composed lawyer he was, didn’t mean he saw me that way.
To him, I was still just Lucy’s friend. Practically family.
Still, my chest gave a tiny, traitorous flutter before I forced my focus back to the cake.
Theo Archibald was out of my league—so far out it was laughable to even entertain my daydreams. But it wasn’t like anyone needed to know I was slightly infatuated with the sexy single dad.
As long as he never found out, my little unrequited crush couldn’t hurt.