Page 22 of Dirty Secret

CHAPTER 8

Max

"Where is she?" My eyes widened as I craned my neck.

"Kat said she wanted a closer look." Marco pressed his face to the railing that warded off the onlookers from the panda exhibit.

"That could mean anything," I mumbled and turned to Heidi for help.

As much as I wanted to spend some quality time with Heidi today, it's turned into a game of cat and mouse with my daughter. Every time we stopped at an exhibit, Kat would wonder off. Heidi and I would spend the next ten minutes looking for her.

"After what happened at the Elephant trails, I told her to stay where we could see her."

I should have known better. No matter where I took Kat, she managed to get herself lost. She understood every time I explained to her about not wondering off but would always become distracted by an idea or something she saw.

"Marco, do you know which direction Kat ran off to?" Heidi bent down on one knee to ask.

He pointed the entrance to the habitat.

"I'll be right back, hopefully with a kid at my side."

Heidi nodded and stood, taking Marco's hand.

It took a minute but once I entered the dark building made to look like a cave, I found her at the far end near the exit.

“Kat!"

She turned and waved as if I always knew where she'd be.

Once I got up to my daughter, I gave her a hug. "No one knew where you were." I pulled away to stare up into her sparkling hazel eyes.

"I was here." She smiled but started to remember what I had told her earlier. "I'm sorry. I saw the door to this place and wanted to know what was inside. I didn't think there'd be so much cool stuff. I forgot."

How could I be angry at her? She did try, but it wasn't easy when her brain got distracted so easily.

"I understand. But it's getting late. I think we should head back home."

Kat turned to me, "Can I invite Marco over after we leave? Maybe grandpa can give us some of his hidden popsicles. Oops. Grandpa didn't want me mentioning the popsicles."

I stood and mussed her hair with my fingers, "I think popsicles are a great idea. We've built up a sweat walking around the zoo. Now, let's go find Heid and Marco."

Spending the day with two little kids at the zoo didn't make it easy to get to know Heidi. We had a few moments of awkward conversation, usually involving my work as a plumber or how she spent a lot of time redesigning her home. But no more kisses or learning anything else about my beautiful client.

We had walked to the zoo but everyone was hot and tired by the time we left, so we all hopped on a bus for the short ride back to my home.

"That was fun," Heidi said as her body swayed to the made-up song about pandas, the composers being Kat and Marco.

"Grandpa! We had so much fun at the zoo," Kat shouted, throwing our front door open as if an Olympic judge was watching.

Both Heidi and Marco hesitated on our porch, but Kat glanced back, waving Marco forward.

"Come on in and meet my grandpa."

The kids raced inside, leaving me alone with Heidi just outside the door—the moment I dreaded and desired all day.

We stood with awkward poses on the porch. I pushed my hands into the back pockets of my jeans and stared at dead flowers in a green planter by the side of the door. Heidi also noticed the forgotten plant.

"Marco and I had a good time at the zoo."

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