Page 122 of One Touch

After they left, I flipped on the coffee machine.

“Daddy,” Ava said, giving me a long, hard look, “You look awful.”

“Thanks, kiddo. Love you too.” I gave her a big hug. “Did you have fun last night?”

“We played unicorns.”

“That sounds fun.”

“Unicornwarriors. Deadly creatures of magic and mayhem!”

Ava explained the intricacies of the bloodthirsty game as I downed a cup of coffee and some Advil. After Ava munched her way through some toast with peanut butter, we headed to her room. I helped her into her silky blue bridesmaid dress, but we struggled a little with the zipper.

She squinted at me. “Dad. Why was Lily in your room this morning?”

I froze. “Oh yeah. She, uh, left something in there last night.”

“What did she leave?”

“Her . . . book,” I lied, fumbling for words.

“Oh cool! Which one is she reading?”

“Uh, I think it’s called . . .The Romance of. . .Red. . .Robin. You know Lily, always reading.”

Ava’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Uh-huh. And why did she leave it in there?”

“Oh, you know,” I said, trying to sound casual as I helped her with her shoes. “The light’s a lot better in my room for reading. By the window.”

“I thought you were out partying last night.”

“We were. But Lily wanted to read for five minutes when we got home.”

“By the window. In the dark?”

“Mm-hmm.” God, I hated lying to her. I couldn’t bear to burden her with the truth, though. That Lily and I were hurtling toward certain disaster.

“Daddy?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah?” I looked at my little girl. Her fierce, blue eyes. Her dark hair. That brave, tender expression.

She blinked at me. “You smell bad. You need to take a shower.”

I laughed. “I really, really do. Now, what are you going to do while you wait for me? We can’t have you messing up that lovely outfit. Which, by the way, you look absolutely gorgeous in.”

She grinned. “Well, I know I said you look awful, and you smell bad, but you’re actually a handsome dad.”

“You’re gonna make me blush.”

“Blush! Blush! Blush!”

I mussed her hair. “Right. I’m showering.”

“And I’m going to sit and read by your window. I hear the light is very good there.”

Jesus, why were kids so goddamn perceptive?

I jumped in the shower and when I got out, Ava was curled up on the ottoman by my window. She really was reading, with her blue overlay and a smile playing on her lips as she silently mouthed the words. It was such a glorious sight that I grabbed my cell phone and took a photograph of her.

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