Page 32 of From Maybe to Baby

"Does he?" She raises an eyebrow at me, and suddenly I'm very aware that I'm standing here in wet swim trunks while my kids are starting to spill more about me than I am ready for this woman to know.

"Coffee's a universal solution," I manage. "Right up there with dinosaur band-aids."

"Speaking of solutions," David interjects, "the resort would be happy to comp some activities. Perhaps the submarine tour? Or our luau?"

"The one with the fire dancers?" Lukas's eyes light up. "Can we go, Dad? Please?"

"Only if Miss Minty wants to risk more property damage," I say, but I'm watching her face. She's good—maintains her professional smile even as my son demonstrates his version of fire dancing, spinning in circles until he falls over.

"It could make good content," she says carefully. "The full family resort experience."

"With the laptop killers themselves," I add.

She laughs, a loud but endearing laugh, the laugh of a confident woman who doesn’t give a shit what anyone thinks of her. Something in my chest shifts, followed by a twinge down in my swim shorts. Dangerous territory.

"The resort offers several dining options," David jumps in. "Perhaps Miss Minty could join you? To observe the family dining experience?"

Family dining experience? Poor woman has no idea what she’s in for.

But my kids light up. "Yes," they scream.

I watch Alexa's professional mask slip just a fraction, revealing something that looks almost like amusement before she catches herself. "I should really focus on the activities..."

"What’s an activity, Dad?" Lukas asks, his little brow furrowed.

“Breakfast is an activity,” David tells him.

“It’s not an activity,” Lukas yells. “It’s a meal.”

"Lukas, it’s a meal as well as an activity.” I risk a direct look at Alexa. "Let’s just start with coffee.”

“Yes, we’re having coffee.”

"PRINCESS HAIR TIME." Jace announces, breaking the moment by attaching herself to Alexa's leg.

David beams like this was all his idea. "Wonderful. I'll have the activities schedule sent to your rooms. Miss Minty, the resort looks forward to your blog feature."

As he walks away, I catch Alexa's eye. "So... princess hair?" I ask.

"Don't push it, Hockey Dad."

But she's smiling.

And I'm in so much trouble.

I've seenmy kids charm their way through plenty of situations. They worked over their nanny, Frenchie, in about ten minutes flat. They've got their grandmother, Gloria, wrapped around their fingers. Even my toughest Aftershocks teammates turn to mush around them. But watching them deploy their full arsenal of cuteness on Alexa Minty is something else entirely.

Little buggers are like some kind of secret weapon.

After coffee, we’re back at the pool, where Jace has wormed her way up onto Alexa’s lap and demanded she do her hair.

"Like this?" Alexa's fingers work with surprising skill while my daughter clutches her Elsa doll, providing very specific and bossy direction.

"No, I want more twisty."

"Pretty sure that requires CGI, princess," I offer. Close enough to supervise, far enough to pretend I'm not completely fascinated by how natural Alexa is with my daughter.

"What's CGI?" Lukas asks.

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