Page 55 of Firefly Effect

His fingers sneak in among mine until he’s fully holding my hand. “How are you holding up with everything?”

I know he’s referring to the combination of our last encounter on his couch and the recent Firefly Man killing. “I’m okay. Actually,” I say, perking up a bit. “Patrick called tonight. He’s having the time of his life out there. He says he wants to hand the bar over to me, and I think he was dead serious.”

Lincoln’s eyes widen. “Really? That’s a big deal.”

I nod, excitement bubbling inside me. “It’s what I’ve wanted since he bought the place—I just didn’t think it could happen so soon.”

“Well, you deserve it. You run the place like it’s yours as it is. Everyone there respects you. Business is going well.” He shrugs. “If Patrick is ready to retire, maybe the timing is just right.”

I love how easy he makes it all sound and how much confidence he has in me to take over my uncle’s business. Deep down, I’ve always wondered if I would ever feel any semblance of success in life, knowing how disappointed my parents were in me and my decisions. According to them, my future would amount to nothing, my happiness limited by the pennies I would make. I always hoped they were wrong, but now, I can look back and say without a single doubt in my mind that they were wrong—in every sense of the word.

“Evie, it’s your turn!” Lucy hops off the chair and runs to us, painted face beaming, the most adorable bumblebee I’ve ever seen.

Lincoln squeezes my hand before releasing it so he can scoop Lucy into his arms.

I walk to the chair, smiling at Doreen as I sit down. “Make Lucy proud,” I tell her.

She grins back. “I’ll do my best.”

I’m not surprised when Doreen begins to ask questions about my relationship with her boss. I don’t give her much information, because I’m not sure at all what to tell her. I certainly can’t tell her how I’ve fallen in love with his daughter, and she invited me to her birthday party where Lincoln went down on me in the bounce house after everyone went to bed. Or tell her how the last time I was in his office, I dry-humped him on his couch until an orgasm rocked my world.

“We’re becoming good friends,” I say, hoping to satisfy her with that alone.

A knowing smile plays on her face. “I’m rooting for you. If my old-woman senses are still as accurate as they once were, I’d say he’s very much into you. More so than Lilith Thornefield, by a long shot.” Annoyance radiates through her tone, then her eyes dart past me to where Lincoln and Lucy are standing.

I look over to find Lilith approaching Lincoln with a bright smile, her daughter Willow right beside her. That same spike of jealousy I felt at Lucy’s birthday party hits me again, but it melts away instantly when I see Lincoln take a step backward from the woman when she gets too close. Lilith doesn’t seem to notice, continuing to talk his ear off while Lucy wrinkles her face at Willow. And here I thought Lucy loved everyone.

Stifling a laugh, I decide to ignore the exchange.

Doreen shakes her head. “At least you had the common decency to turn away his professional care.”

I frown. “Lilith is a client of Lincoln’s?”

She blows out a sigh. “Oh dear. You know I can’t divulge the details”—she looks around to make sure no one can hear her—“but yes. She’s requested extra appointments, and you cannot tell me she gives an ounce for that husband of hers who just died. I warned him it’s a conflict of interest, seeing as she just purchased the daycare Lucy goes to.”

“She what?” I practically squeal the question, but no one seems to notice except Doreen.

She simply nods. “Yup. I’m telling you, Evie. I might be an old woman, but I know a thing or two about people. Lilith is after Lincoln—I’m sure of it.”

Nodding, I look back at Lilith, who just happens to turn her focus away from Lincoln for a second to narrow her eyes at me. I could swear that I see realization dawn inside those dark little orbs as she realizes her plot to hook Dr. Lincoln Reed just got a whole lot more difficult.

I turn away, my eyes connecting with Lucy, who is squealing with joy as Doreen finishes my face paint.

A few minutes later, Lincoln is taking photos of Lucy and me, our bumblebee faces matching our attire so well that you would think we planned it. I’m thankful when I realize at some point that Lilith and Willow have disappeared into the crowd. I make a conscious choice not to bring her up to Lincoln. It’s clear by his reaction to her proximity that he’s a very smart man.

One food-truck stop and one temporary tattoo later, Lincoln stops in front of the ice cream stand to get Lucy a strawberry cone. Her eyes widen to capacity when he hands her the delicious treat, the bumblebee art beside her eye expanding too. It’s clear why Lucy is so popular in her class. I’ve never seen a child filled with so much happiness. Lincoln must live for moments like these, when he can watch his little girl bask in the simple joys of life before the world begins to show its true darkness to her.

We walk another block toward a small stage, where a man is strumming his guitar and belting pop-rock hits. Moving her feet to the beat, Lucy tries aggressively to finish her ice cream cone until she can’t stand it anymore. At the start of the next song, she thrusts the rest of her dripping cone at Lincoln and takes off for where a few people are dancing in front of the stage. Lucy moves in and dominates the space, letting her body take her in all kinds of directions.

Eventually, Lincoln goes out to the dance floor to scoop her up—and she embarks on the first tantrum I’ve ever seen her throw, her arms and legs swinging as Lincoln tries not to drop her. Her bumblebee face is all squished as she cries, “I wanna dance! I wanna dance!”

I watch how Lincoln handles it. There isn’t a stitch of annoyance or discomfort on his face. Instead, he leans down and whispers something to her. At first, it seems like it’s not going to work, and her whining intensifies until tears streak her cheeks and snot bubbles out her nose. But I take note of something that tugs at my heart and blankets me with emotion.

Lincoln only loves her harder through it.

After a few more whispered words from her dad, Lucy’s tantrum quiets. Her face starts to dry, leaving tear stains behind, then Lucy throws her arms around his neck… and that’s all it takes.

In that moment, I fall madly, deeply, unabashedly in love with Dr. Lincoln Reed.

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