Page 63 of His Greatest Treasure

The rookie looks confused as to what to say, so I glare at him again, hoping he gets it.

He gulps again. “It’s okay. All good, kid.”

“Great. We’ll be going. I want to show them the engine bay,” I say before gesturing to the door behind him. “Ready, peanut?”

“Yes! My friends are going to be so jealous.”

Pride fills me. “Come on. I’ll take a picture of you in front of the engine.”

Fifteen minutes later, Nova’s still gushing over the truck when I lead them toward the pole I’ve caught Avery staring at every so often.

I crouch in front of Nova while sneaking a glance at her mom where she watches beside the truck. “Do you want to slide down the pole?”

She gasps, hands coming up to her mouth as she spins to ask Avery, “Can I, Mom?”

“As long as Oliver’s there to catch you.”

“I’ve got her,” I promise, something sharp but comforting spiking in my chest at her trust in me. “And then you’re next, princess.”

“I’m not going down that thing,” she argues, shaking her head too quickly.

I smirk. “Yeah, you are.”

“Not happening.”

“We’ll see.”

Nova’s bouncing in place when I meet her beside the pole and lead her out of the engine bay to the stairs leading to the second floor of the station.

“Do you want to go down on your own?” I ask, keeping my tone soft.

She hums, rubbing her chin. “Can you go down with me thefirst time?”

“Sure can.”

Her smile is beaming and innocent. Free in the way a child’s should be. “You promise not to drop me?”

“I promise. I’ve got you.”

“Can you go down with my mom too? She looked scared to try.”

“You think she’d feel safer with me?”

“Yes,” she says with an easy shrug.

One word said so simply, but that slams into me at full force. I trip over my feet and catch myself with a whispered curse before my face hits the carpet.

“I’ll go down with you both,” I promise before clearing my throat and stopping in front of the pole. “Just wrap your body around me like a monkey, and don’t let go until we’re on the ground.”

“Okay.”

The fall is only one storey high, but the thought of dropping her makes me want to cling tighter.

Avery’s already waiting beneath us, her hands on her hips, fingers tapping. I’ve never gone down the pole with a second person before, but with Nova, it’ll be easy enough. She’s tiny, and as I pick her up, I’m pretty sure she weighs less than my turnouts do.

“Ready?” I ask once she’s clinging to me tight.

Readjusting my arms when she doesn’t reply, I slide her onto my hip more than my chest and grip the pole with a single hand. Wrapping one leg around the pole, I ask again, “Ready, Nova?”

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