Page 58 of Falling for the Forward

He’s currently caked in it after rolling around in mud during an unusually warm January day on our walk earlier. I normally give him baths, but since today is Carter’s day off, I delegated it to him.

There was only a split second of hesitation before he agreed. He knows better than to bite the hand that jerks him.

When I walk into the family room, humming “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift, I stop the moment I see Carter and Hallie.

He’s sitting on the floor with his legs crossed in front of him, his back against the couch and his gaze on the big-screen TV. Hallie is sitting on a little stool beside him, using dark pink lipstick to color Carter’s nose.

It looks like she went through an entire tube. She drew hearts on his cheeks with it and colored in his entire forehead. His eyelids are covered in something blue and glittery. She used the lipstick to draw long earrings down his earlobes to the side of his neck.

“Doesn’t Uncle Carter look beautiful?” Hallie says, grinning.

“Um...yes, he does.”

Carter glances at me. “She wanted to give me a makeover and I said she could if I could watch the game while she does it.”

I arch my brows and reach into the pocket of my lightweight sweatpants for my phone.

“Can I get a picture of you two?”

Carter lowers his brows. “Only if it stays on your phone and is never posted anywhere.”

“Okay, deal.”

Hallie looks proud of her makeup artistry as she sits down in Carter’s lap, putting an arm around his shoulder. He smiles, too. I feel a pang of wishing Rachel could see this.

“Okay, got my new screensaver,” I say lightly.

I walk into the kitchen, Darling following me. He’s wearing a doggie onesie covered with tacos today. I have to get in all the cute outfits I can before he outgrows the largest size made for dogs.

“Are you hungry, D-man? Do you want a snackie?”

He knows that word well. He snorts in approval and goes over to the pantry.

“Not this time,” I say, opening the refrigerator and taking out a container.

I’ve started keeping pureed pumpkin, roasted sweet potatoes and squash prepped for him. He doesn’t like them as much as Goldfish, but he doesn’t turn them down.

I fix him a plate and set it on the floor. He walks over to it, sniffs it, and then looks back at me.

“That’s my only offer,” I say, shrugging.

He scarfs it. I leave him in the kitchen and go up to the bedroom, eagerly anticipating my hour of reading.

Before I started working two jobs, I read every night. With two jobs, I was too tired. After a full day of caring for the girlsand Darling, I’m usually too mentally tired to read. I either watch Carter’s games or scroll mindlessly until I fall asleep.

I lie down and open up the sci-fi romance paperback I’ve heard great things about. I’m about fifteen minutes into it when Carter comes into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

“How’s it going?” he asks.

“Good. How are you?”

He gestures at his face. “I’m gonna go wash this off.”

“Aw, what about Hallie’s hard work?”

“I let her take a picture. I never agreed to leave this shit on my face for hours.”

He goes into the bathroom and I hear him turn on the shower. Less than ten minutes later, he comes back into the bedroom, his face clean and his hair damp. He’s wearing a gray Penn State T-shirt and black athletic shorts. I like him this way, wearing his casual, around-the-house clothes that the rest of the world doesn’t get to see.

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