Finn
The secret keeping was getting harder every day. Especially when Adele and I were spending every possible minute together. On the nights I didn’t have Merry, I stayed at her house, and we hung out as often as we could.
I loved snuggling with her on the couch and watching Ted Lasso together, cooking together, and waking up with her in my arms. I couldn’t help but dream of the days we could go out to the Moose or walk down the street together or finally tell our families.
Because every day I was more certain that she was it for me.
And I wasn’t the only one in love. My daughter was completely and totally attached too.
Summer camp had ended, so Merry was hanging out at the shop, where she’d become a junior member of the team.
Today, I’d come down after a meeting and found her elbow deep in an engine while Adele coached her through replacing springs. Girlie pop blared from the speakers and my daughter’s face shone with pride.
“Dad,” she shouted. “I learned how to rotate tires! I even got to use the fancy drill thingy to take off the lug nuts.”
Beside my daughter, Adele shrugged. “The kid’s smart and has a steady hand.”
Merry beamed at her. And I struggled not to do the same.
It was such a small gesture, but by including Merry, making her feel capable and valued, she was building her up and inspiring her and showing her she cared. This kid had bounced around so much in her life and was struggling to find her place at the moment.
Their interactions made my heart grow each and every time I witnessed them. And every day, it was more obvious to me—this was who Adele was. Beneath the glares and the attitude, she was generous and affectionate.
She taught Merry something new each and every day. She included her, and without fail, she made her feel like a member of the team.
Merry wiped her hands on a rag she’d begun to keep slung across her shoulder just like Adele did. “Why does my dad call you She-Ra?” she asked.
“He gave me that nickname a while ago. She-Ra was a superhero back when we were kids.”
“Oh, I know all about She-Ra. She’s super cool and has these feminist princess friends. There’s a show on Netflix. Wanna come watch it at our house tonight? Dad’s getting pizza.”
Adele looked between us, biting her lips to keep from smirking.
“That sounds awesome,” she said to Merry, “but I made plans with my friends tonight. Every Thursday, we get together. Maybe another time?”
Merry nodded. “How about Saturday? I’m at my mom’s this weekend, but you can hang with my dad.” Her blue eyes sparkled as she looked between Adele and me.
Adele gave her a kind smile. “That’s a great idea. I’ll have to check my schedule.”
“Dad,” Merry said as we headed to pick up pizza for dinner.
I turned the volume down so “Maroon” by Taylor Swift was barely audible over the speakers and looked at my girl in the rear-view mirror. She was still so small but growing every day. It was moments like this that I treasured. I had missed so much during my deployments.
“I need to talk to you.”
I nodded, knowing better than to interrupt when she had something to get off her chest.
“I think you should ask Miss Gagnon on a date.”
I gripped the steering wheel and tried to school my features into something resembling placid. We’d had this conversation a while back, and now that things had changed between Adele and me, I was desperate to avoid revisiting it.
“Why do you say that?” I asked, trying to sound surprised.
“She has a crush on you.” She was smirking when I darted a glance at her again. “I can tell these things. Madison J. had a crush on Jackson last year, and it was so obvious. She was always looking at him and touching him.”
I didn’t want to think about kids Merry’s age having crushes. That was a nightmare for a different day.
“And Miss Gagnon? She looks at you funny. Like she likes you and wants to go on a date with you. But she’s not weird about it, like some of the school moms.”
I nodded, at a loss for how to respond.
“I really like her. She’s tall and has a dog and is the boss at her job.”
“That’s true. She is a very cool person.” My cheeks were growing warmer by the second, but I kept my focus on the road. Damn. Hearing Merry say that she liked Adele and wanted me to date her was hitting me square in the chest.
“And that day in the diner. She stood up for us, when people were being judgy and mean. She’s like a superhero, but in real life, and she fixes machines.”
“So that’s why you were trying to convince her to have dinner with us?”
“Yup. I figure if you’re not gonna find a girlfriend on your own, then I’ll have to help you. She’s perfect for you.”
God, this kid. She did not miss a beat. “Sweetie, I love that you want me to be happy. But I can get my own dates, okay?”
“I want to help you. Mom says men can be intimidated by strong women. Which is why I’m not going to date until my thirties.”
I chuckled. Alicia for the win.
“And Miss Adele is pretty and strong, so I thought I’d help out. Give you a date idea. She’s pretty special, and I wouldn’t want some other guy to ask her out before you.”
I couldn’t argue with that logic. “Thanks,” I said softly. “I’ll work on it.”