Page 13 of Until I Have You

No one calls my dad Ed, but I suppose no one calls Theo “Dory” other than my father.

This is what unsettles me about them.Their…connection.

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”Dad places a hand on his chest.“Maybe once she sees the present we got for her, she’ll change her mind about me.”

Bonnie’s face lights up.“A present?”

Theo gives my dad a sheepish smile and looks at his daughter.“Bonnie, don’t be greedy.”

Sonia smiles.“Nonsense.She’s not greedy, she just knows what she wants.”

Theo leans in to kiss Sonia on the cheek.“You’re looking well, Sonia.And this must be Emma, is it?”He cranes his head down to look Emma in the face.“Takes after her mother, thank god.”

I’ve gotten so comfortable being hidden, I don’t notice Bonnie noticing me.

The little girl erupts with excitement.“Abigail!”

All eyes turn to me as Bonnie jets toward me.“Oh, hi –oof!”I have to brace my free hand on the doorframe to make sure I don’t topple over.“Careful!”

Bonnie squeezes me tight.

Kids are just like that, aren’t they?They only have to meet you once to know they like you.Which is an honor in a way.

Theo frowns.“Easy, Bon, she’s holding a baby.”

I lift my eyes to meet Theo’s.

When I see the way he smiles at me, my cheeks flare with…something.Not sure what the feeling is.

It’s pathetic how he’s oblivious to the way I feel about him.Isn’t my coldness obvious?

“How does she know Bonnie?”My father’s voice carries a hint of jealousy.

Theo looks between my dad and me with big eyes.

Fuck, I didn’t tell Sonia and Dad about my run-in with Theo at the aquarium.I wanted to forget it happened at all.

Besides, they were focused on how my meeting with Moriah went and, when they found out that it was less than ideal, they were focused on cheering me up.“Well, Abigail was… She…”

“I ran into them when I was at the aquarium,” I say as simply as possible in order to avoid any discussion of details.

“She found me when I was lost!”Bonnie exclaims.“And then we found Daddy, and it was funny!”

Dammit.

“Um, yeah, that happened to.”I give Bonnie a soft pat on her back.

My dad’s dark brows tighten.“Why didn’t you say anything?”

Sonia follows up my dad’s question with a narrowing of her eyes.

“I just didn’t think it was the main…thing to talk about.”I shrug.

“Anyway.”Theo clears his throat.“I am indebted to Abigail.You should have seen me, mate.I was a wreck.”

Edwin nods.“Of course, you were.”

Still, Sonia looks at me, eyes widening, eyebrows raising.

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