Page 65 of What We Broke

“How do you know he’s my boyfriend?” I ask, walking to the front door.

She shrugs. “You said he was coming over today and this man has a box that looks like donuts. I hope he’s your boyfriend.”

“That’s all it takes, huh?” I murmur to myself. “A box of donuts?”

I open the door, with Raine now hot on my heels.

“Welcome,” I greet animatedly before leaning in and kissing him on the cheek. “Raine’s so excited to meet you.”

Raine’s head pops out from behind me. She’s dressed in an oversized sweater that has different colored cats sewn across every inch of it and a pair of jeans. She hates wearing anything but pajamas at home, so I’m grateful she decided to dress up for the occasion. Her feet are bare and her dark brown hair is in a braid that I’ve finally mastered.

“Hi, are those donuts?” she asks him. “Are they plain or are they flavored? Do they have sprinkles?”

“Raine,” I chastise. “Where are your manners?”

“I said hi,” she counters, now standing between Leo and me. “I’m Raine. What’s your name?”

He hands me the box of donuts and holds his hand out for her to shake. “I’m Leo.”

“There’s a Leo in my class at school,” she tells him. “But his actual name is Leonardo. Is that your name too?”

“It is,” he answers. “It’s my grandfather’s name, actually. I was named after him.”

“Dad.” Raine looks up at me. “Who did you name me after?”

“Umm, I can’t remember. I’m pretty sure we put our favorite names into a hat and then whichever one we picked out won.”

“Really?” She looks absolutely appalled.

“That’s way better if you ask me,” Leo says, trying to distract her from my parental faux pas. “Because nobody else has your name. Do you spell it like the word rain? R-A-I-N?”

She shakes her head. “No, it’s R-A-I-N-E.”

“Oh, so really your name is Rain-e?”

“No,” she drolls. “It’s rain with an e.”

“That’s what I said. Rain-e.” Leo’s expression is serious as he meets my gaze. “That’s her name, right?”

I bite on my bottom lip to refrain from laughing. “I’ll have to check with her mom, maybe we got the spelling wrong.”

She rolls her eyes, clearly exasperated by us, and grabs the box of donuts out of my hands. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.”

“I think there’s one of each,” Leo calls out behind her. “Plain, sprinkles and chocolate.”

I catch her trying to balance the box and lift the lid at the same time as she walks to the kitchen, counting and murmuring to herself.

“Do you think she hates me?” Leo asks. “I think the donuts might help smooth things over.”

“She’s ten going on twenty,” I tell him. “She can hold her own, don’t you worry.” I tug him to me, resting my hands on his waist. “Right now she only cares about those donuts and is probably scheming on how to eat one before dinner without me noticing. Her dad and his boyfriend are no longer a priority.”

He raises his arms and wraps them around my neck, his cheeks flushed, his smile wide. “I can’t believe I’m her dad’s boyfriend.”

“Only because you haven’t yet agreed to be my husband.”

His smile remains. “You know I’m waiting for you to ask one thousand times before I say yes.”

“You say it like I have an issue with asking you one thousand times.”

---