Page 22 of Second Chance Baby

“I’ve lost track. I’m so behind.” Bridget looked at me. “Do you still likeScream?”

“I do, but…hmm. What age is appropriate for that movie? I better check.” I picked up my phone, noting the many, many texts I still hadn’t bothered to deal with.

I knew I would have to soon enough. In the meantime, it was family time.

“Dad, I already saw 1-4 at Missy’s house.”

I frowned. “With her parents’ permission?”

Carrington rolled her eyes at me. “Sure, Dad.”

“When was this, young lady?”

“Which time? We’ve seen them a bunch by now.”

In the scheme of things, my daughter watching old school horror movies that weren’t even that scary overall wasn’t that bad. I had to loosen the apron strings now and then with her, since she was going to be eleven soon. Somehow.

In current times, with the amount of stuff the kids were exposed to with social media and cell phones and all of that, eleven was approximately equivalent to upper teens back when I was growing up.

Carrington was good about not using her phone during meals, and she didn’t freak out about the parental controls I’d set on some of her apps. Nor did she mind when I asked her not to use most of the social media sites.

Though, hell, maybe she had ways of using them behind my back. I’d learned long ago that trusting her eased a lot of heartache between us. She was a smart, responsible kid.

I’d just have to hope for the best.

“Okay, movie night it is.” I looked at my daughter. “Do we still have popcorn?”

“No. You ate the last microwave bag weeks ago, remember?”

“Why are you calling me out like that? What did I ever do to you?”

She giggled into her fist. “I don’t know, maybe thinking I’m too young to handle scary movies I saw when I was like nine.”

I winced. How did I not know that? “To me, you’ll always be my baby girl. Deal with it, kid.” I looked up to see Bridget watching us with obvious tenderness in her eyes. Heat blasted up my neck as I shifted in my seat. “So, what other movies are on the agenda?”

Bridget shrugged. “We can figure it out as we go. We’ll start with a couple of theScreamfranchise. I am so hopelessly behind then maybe we can find some other cool ones on streaming. Depending what services you subscribe to.”

“I subscribe to everything. Since my princess here likes to see current stuff on a regular basis.” I reached across the table to tap Carrington’s nose. “She probably knows about ones us old folks have never even heard of.”

“Sadly true.” Bridget leaned her head on my shoulder and something inside me settled in a way I hadn’t even realized I’d been missing. It was as if I could finally release a breath I’d been holding for probably years. “We can get some snacks on the way back to the house…” She trailed off. “Unless you want to just start movie night right away.”

“Then that would be movie afternoon though, right?” Carrington giggled.

Before I could question it, I grabbed Bridget’s hand and tugged her out of the booth.

Carrington’s eyebrows rose before she scampered after us, easily doing an end run around us and veering out the door.

The sudden movement made Bridget stumble on her ankle-breakers before she steadied herself.

I held onto Bridget’s hand for a few minutes longer. Why not? It felt good. “Those heels are dangerous,” I muttered, just in case she needed an explanation for what I was doing.

“They are,” she agreed quietly. “I appreciate the extra support.”

I tightened my grip, swallowing hard when she curled her fingers into my palm as she’d done a million times before. Granted, not for many years now. “At your service, milady.”

We exited the diner and started up Main Street, which was currently congested with pedestrians, thanks to the lovely, pleasantly warm fall day. The crisp breeze felt heavenly on my face as I tilted it up to the sun, and I caught Bridget watching me with a smile playing around her lips that just made it even better.

Carrington pointed out different things in the windows of the stores we passed, pausing to pet an adorable tiny golden dog wearing a bright orange collar as he sipped water from the bowl in front of the pet supply store. “What’s your name, boy?”

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