Page 51 of Bring me Back

“Dan! Help me!” I called.

He stopped in his tracks. He flashed me a hungry look and then opened a stellar smile, jogging the distance between us. “Why are you two little monsters scaring Hallie?”

April seemed appalled. “We’re just deciding who goes on the ride with her first.”

“First?” Abby asked, catching up.

“It’s established I’m going twice.”

“Oh, dear…” Abby said, but the little smile tugging her lips gave away how funny she found the situation.

The girls waited patiently as if their mother was going to be the tiebreaker. We stood in line, the girls first followed by me, Daniel, Mark and Abby.

“I see I lost my chance,” Daniel said behind me, his voice tickling the nape of my neck. April and Rose were still trying to figure out how we were going to proceed, so I wasn’t worried about them eavesdropping.

“You should have dragged me along. It seemed like the way to do things.”

He chuckled. “I will definitely remember that trick next time.”

“Or maybe the Miller family can calm down and wait for me to make my own decisions?” I teased.

When he said nothing, I turned a little to the side, trying to get a glimpse of his face. He was rubbing his finger on his mouth in thought.

“I’m not upset,” I felt the need to add.

“Hm,” was his reply.

I frowned, tugging my hand from the girls. They let me go, which probably wasn’t a good sign for the whole silent fight they were having.

“It was a joke,” I insisted, turning to him.

He gave me a small smile. “I know.”

“You said nothing, though.”

“Maybe I haven’t thought of a comeback yet.”

I looked him up and down. “Impossible. You love to rile me up.”

Daniel laughed, throwing his head back and showing off his gorgeous neck. I bit inside my cheek to stop my goofy smile. I glanced at Mark and Abby, who looked transfixed by Daniel’s laugh.Odd.Daniel was always joking around, always with a funny remark, trying to make me laugh, but the way Abby was looking, it was like Daniel hadn’t smiled in a while.

“Tell you what, Cricket, I’m not even sorry.”

I rolled my eyes. Impossible man; of course he wasn’t sorry. I was lost in him when I heard my name being called in the crowd.

It was the way he said, “Hallie!” There was only one man in the world who said my name like that. I opened a smile to Dad cutting through the crowd, his eyes bouncing from Daniel to me and then zeroing on Daniel back again.

“Hey, Dad.” I stepped toward him, trying to block his view of Daniel.

“I went around the stand, but only Mrs. Carr was there.”

I nodded. “My shift ended. I didn’t know you were coming.”

He kissed my temple. “Of course I was coming. I was just finishing with the store.”

Taking his eyes off me, Dad looked over at Daniel and dipped his chin. “Miller.”

Miller?

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