Chapter 27
ZACH
When I came downstairs at five a.m. the next morning, instead of being surprised by Lu appearing like a Victorian era ghost child, she was already there, evidently waiting for me.
Bear was already leashed up and ready to go, sitting with his eyes perked and his tail thumping against the floor when he saw me.
Lu even already had her helmet on, dressed in her usual overalls, mismatched socks, and her shoes on the wrong feet. I stopped dead in the doorway as I took it all in, staring at her and thankfully already dressed for the run I’d also already been planning to take.
It sure didn’t look like she would have let me get away with not going. She stared right back at me in complete and utter silence, not saying a word, but it was pretty obvious she was ready to come with me.
Finally deciding to just roll with it, I walked over to the cabinets on the other side of the kitchen and grabbed a morning protein bar, sliding the box out and showing it to her. “Do you want one?”
She shook her head. “I had a banana.”
What I had for breakfast yesterday. I wonder if that means something.
“Okay,” I said, stowing the box again before turning to face her and leaning back against the counter. For another beat, we were both completely quiet again. I didn’t know what was going on in her head, but I was trying to figure out how to prove to her that she could trust me.
Eventually, I took a breath and just put it out there, trying to level with the newly five-year-old tyrant. “So listen, I need to go on a longer run today. Like, ten miles at least.”
She stared back at me, totally expressionless.
“That’s too far for you to go on your scooter,” I said when she just kept staring.
As soon as the words were out, however, the stare turned into a glare, those clear blue eyes narrowing until there was no color left at all. Wow, she’s rather good at this.
“If you could ride a bike, that would be better,” I said. “For both us. Ten miles isn’t so bad on a bike.”
She glared even harder, one of her tiny eyebrows even arching now. Thankfully, two could play this game. I had a little sister and I’d learned early on how these glaring contests worked, so I narrowed my eyes right back at her.
Bear glanced between us nervously, a soft whine coming out of him. I knew he could sense the tension. He just didn’t know that on my end at least, there was a plan.
“What if I taught you how to ride a bike this morning?”
She took what felt like an eternity to answer, letting the tension from her side fester. Naturally, because she really did seem determined not to make this easy on me, the answer was not what I wanted when it finally came.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to,” she said, sticking her lower lip out. “My bike isn’t even here, so just, no. Mommy says a girl never needs to explain herself when she says no. It just means no.”
I came very close to groaning out loud. God, I hope this is a phase.
Otherwise, I was going to have to spend her teenage years sweet-talking cops in exchange for her freedom—or at least lowered bail amounts. On the upside, I would never have to worry about boys taking advantage of her.
Yeah, because I’ll be too busy hiding the bodies she leaves strewn in her wake.
Even so, I wasn’t giving up. Because come her teenage years, I was still going to be in her life whether she knew it yet or not. If I never did anything else right, just knowing that I would be there for these girls in a way their father evidently wasn’t interested in would be enough.
“What if I bought you a new bike?” Fuck, I probably should’ve asked Adeline about that first. “I mean, once we—”
“Any color I want,” she stated, cutting me off with zero hesitation.
“Okay.” Screw it, what’s the worst that can happen? “Any color you want.”
At worst, Adeline would be pissed at me for spoiling the kid without getting her permission. I could take that. Probably.
“With a basket,” Lu said then, clearly used to negotiating. “Or no deal.”
Shit, she really is good at this.
“Okay. Fine.”
“Okay.” The tiniest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and instantly, I knew I’d been played, but I didn’t really care. “Let’s go.”
These kids already had me wrapped around their little fingers. Thankfully, they didn’t know that yet either, but Lu was definitely figuring it out.
“You need to swap your shoes around before we leave,” I said. “You’ll fall if you have them on the wrong feet.”
Frustration ripped across her features, but she dropped down onto the floor in a huff and changed them around while I finished my protein bar. I left another quick note for Adeline, unclipping Bear’s leash and grabbing my keys when I was done.
“Alright.” I wagged a finger at Bear and set the leash down pointedly on the counter so he’d know he wasn’t coming. “Stay here and take care of the other two. We’ll be back soon.”
He whined again but lay down flat on his belly and let out a huff of his own. God, I’m no one’s favorite this morning, it seems.
Hoping my luck would turn, I was pulling into the parking lot of the closest Walmart before I’d even fully processed what I was doing. The next thing I knew, the same K-Pop Demon Hunters song was blaring for the third time and I was just easing into a parking space near the door.
Lu was quiet when we climbed out of the car, waiting dutifully beside it before offering me her hand when I turned to walk in. My eyebrows lifted a little, but I took it.
“Mommy says parking lots are dangerous,” she said as if that explained it, and honestly, it did.
“Mommy is absolutely right.” Surely, she couldn’t be that pissed at me for the bike if I backed her up in her absence.
At least, that’s what I hope. “People are often distracted in parking lots. They’re still getting themselves settled in the car and buckling up or whatever.
The last thing some people are thinking about when they’re backing out is a tiny human potentially being behind the car. ”
It’s me. I’m some people. Or at least, I was until I said those very words.
“I know,” Lu said, but it wasn’t as snide this time.
She kept hanging onto my hand until we were in the store, but as soon as the doors slid quietly shut behind us, she let go and took off. I was so surprised that it took me a beat to catch up to what was happening, but then I was racing after her, careful not to let her out of my sight.
Shopping with this kid is going to give me a heart attack.
Mercifully, my legs were much longer, and even though she really was fast for her size, I managed to catch up before anything bad happened. I met her gaze when we stopped in front of the bicycles. “Stay with me, Lu. Every second. Your mom would never forgive me if I lost you.”
I wouldn’t forgive myself either, but I steered clear of telling her that. Lest she ask why.
She sighed but nodded. “I’m just excited.”
When she batted her tiny, blonde eyelashes at me, I almost softened. But then I remembered how good she was at all this and shook my head instead. “I mean it. Every second.”
“Okay.”
“Alright.” I turned my attention to the bikes on offer but stayed close enough to her side that I could feel her beside me. She wasn’t running, being kidnapped, or even stubbing a toe on my damn watch. “Which one is it going to be?”
I wasn’t sure really how it had happened, but twenty minutes later, Lu wasn’t only a bike richer.
While I was pushing a brand-new, bright pink bicycle out of the store, she was also sporting a new pair of sunglasses shaped like cats and, for some reason, a pair of glittery purple rainboots she’d begged me for and I’d found it impossible to say no.
At this hour, most of the other shoppers were elderly folks, and most of them stopped us to gush on our way out. The first was a kind-looking woman, who shot me a fond, proud smile as I wheeled the bike past her.
“It’s so good to see an involved dad,” she said happily. “That’s how it should be. My Norm never missed a dance recital when our kids were growing up.”
“That’s great,” I said, not correcting her about the Dad thing. Close enough. “Take care.”
Lu smiled at her. “He’s going to teach me how to ride this bike today.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful.” The lady grinned at me again. “Good luck. To both of you.”
The hint of pride in Lu’s voice got to me, but then an older man was next, beaming at Lu when he saw the bike. “It’s a big day for any kid, getting a new bike. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” she said curtly, clearly taking him aback by the bite in her tone, and I rushed forward, giving him a shrug I hoped he would take as a “kids say the darnedest things” look.
One thing I noticed as we kept getting these comments was that she was almost always sweet to the women, but the men were a different story.
Crap. I really have my work cut out for me, don’t I?
In the end, we drove home with the same K-Pop Demon Hunters song blaring all the way and Lu eating a pink donut with sprinkles on it in the backseat. She’d insisted on getting one for Jennifer as well, which was pretty cute.
I found myself drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, glancing up into the rearview mirror every so often to check on her. She was bouncing as much as the seatbelt in her car seat allowed, singing along to every word like she was on stage herself, and I realized then that I’d actually had fun.
Lu was a handful, but I honestly enjoyed spending time with her. She challenged me, but that kept me on my toes and I liked it. I also just liked the energy both her and her sister were bringing to my life, the singing, and the swimming, and so many things I hadn’t done for so long.
When we got home, I pulled up in the driveway, expecting Lu to run inside to go see if her mom and sister were awake, but instead, she stuck with me as I offloaded the bike. “I don’t want the training wheels on. Those are for babies.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “They also make it easier to—”
“No training wheels,” she insisted, her little face a stoic mask of resolve. “I’m going to learn how to do it right.”
“Okay, then.” I set the bike down next to the car and glanced at the house. “Do you want to go get some breakfast first?”
“No. I’m okay. I had the donut.”
“Right, but that’s not exactly a nutritional way to start the day.”
“I had a banana too. Why do you run so much?” she asked, completely done with my other concerns.
I thought about my answer for a beat. “I’m training for a marathon in October. Are we going to do this thing?”
She nodded, listening to me when I walked her through what to do, and then giving it a try. She wasn’t loving it at all, but within half an hour, she was giving it her best shot and I was running in short bursts beside her, steadying her so she wouldn’t fall.
At least she’s got the helmet back on.
“Why do you want to run a marathon?” she asked at one point while she was stopped.
I opened my mouth to answer, but then I realized that I didn’t know what to say. I’m punishing myself? I’m beating my loneliness into submission by spending my free time huffing, puffing, and obsessing over my pace and stride length?
All of those were true, but I couldn’t exactly say it to a five-year-old. Eventually, I went with the simplest answer that was also still true.
“I like it,” I said. “It helps me relax.”
“Marathons?” she asked, her voice filled to the brim with doubt.
“Yeah. I know how it sounds, but after a long day at work, there’s nothing like getting out there and just running, and when I have a marathon to train for, it gives me a sense of purpose too.”
Her little head cocked. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes.” She got back on the bike. “I’m ready. Let’s try again.”
She took off like a bullet, and this time, she made it to the very end of the driveway, past the guesthouse, and all the way to the mailbox before wobbling into a shallow easement. I ran with her the whole way, cheering and encouraging her.
“You’re doing it, Lu!” I shouted. “You’re riding the bike. That’s it. Keep pedaling. Great! You’re doing it.”
When we finally came to a stop, she was beaming and she practically flung herself off the bike, throwing her arms open wide.
I thought she was going to take a victory lap, but instead, she ran straight over to me.
I dropped to my haunches just in time to catch her in a hug.
I lifted her with me, tossing her into the air and laughing as I caught her again.
“Zach!” someone shouted from the house. “Lu!”
I turned with the little girl still in my arms to see Jennifer racing toward us. She was clearly thrilled too, her smile so wide, it practically swallowed her eyes as she ran.
Adeline wasn’t far behind her, standing on the porch with her coffee in her hands, and the way she was looking at me made me want to ensure this marriage happened.
At any cost.
Because damn, I could really, seriously get used to this.