Page 38 of Truce Of The Matter

“I only know how to kiss one way,” I say before pecking her forehead. “Get used to it.” After winking at her, I drop my arm from her waist. She turns around and we both look at Aryel. Looks like she’s been done with her food for a minute because she’s staring at us, cheesing from ear to ear. Seeing me affectionate with a woman is so new to her and she’s beaming.This is going to be a long, inquisitive ride home with her.“You ready?”

“Yes, Daddy,” she gushes.

“You have a good night, princess,” Truce says.

“Good night, Miss Truce.”

“I’ll call you,” Truce utters to me. When she walks past me, she rubs my arm lightly.

I step to the table and reach over Aryel to grab her bookbag and her food bag. “Do you want a cup for your lemonade?” I ask.

“No. I’m full.” I extend my hand and help her out of the booth then we leave the restaurant. Her comments and questions fire out as soon as we meet the cold night air. “She’s pretty, Daddy, and I like her nails. Did you see them? I want mine like that. When I go Friday, can I get mine like that? They weren’t too long.”

While I love Truce’s nails and her soft hands, Aryel will not know how much. That fact will only give her more ammunition to plead her case for fake nails. “But they are still too long for you. Your nails are pretty too. You just need a touch up.”

She pouts a little but doesn’t hesitate to test my limits. “Well, can I get more diamonds this time?” she pleads.

“We can do that.”

“Thank you ’cause I want to show Miss Truce. Oh, do you think she can come to my competition Saturday? Auntie ain’t coming.”

“Lyra told you that?” I ask because I haven’t heard from my sister all week. She still hasn’t gotten back with us about this damn cruise for our parents.

“Yes. She told me yesterday so I have an extra ticket. We should ask Miss Truce.”

“We?” I question and she laughs.

We’re at my truck; so after I place her bags in the back seat, I open the front passenger door then lift her inside. She attaches the charger to her iPad before getting comfortable in her seat. She buckled in by the time I got inside.

After starting my engine, I look at her and ask. “So you like Miss Truce?”

Her eyebrows raise and she looks at me like I have two damn heads. “I been liked her, Daddy. She’s always nice when we come eat here,” she answers. “You been liked her too,” she adds, matter of factly, and I try to hide my amusement.

My little girl doesn’t miss shit. She’s so observant and in tune with me, which is another reason I don’t play when it comes to her. She picks up on everything and leads with her pure heart. Bringing random women in and out of her life wasn’t an option for me.

“She might already have plans on Saturday but I’ll ask her,” I say before pulling out of the lot.

“Good. I think she might come.” Aryel looks down at her nails then fans her hands out. “I’m going to get a diamond on each finger,” she gushes.

“I don’t remember saying each finger.”

“Daddy!”

“We’ll see,” I say, already knowing I’m going to cave once we are at the shop. I wouldn’t cave on getting the long, fake nails but rhinestones couldn’t hurt.

About five minutes into our drive, Aryel’s iPad rings. “It’s my momma,” she utters before answering the call. When Aria’s facefills the screen, I glance over and notice the immediate change in Aryel’s disposition. The big ass smile she was just sporting has dropped.

“Hey, baby!” Aria practically yells.

“Hey.”

“Where are you?”

“In the truck with my daddy.”

“Hello, baby daddy,” Aria says snarkily and I just shake my head.

I hate when she says that shit, and normally, I check her when she does. But since Aryel is right here, I keep it cool and just say, “What’s up?”

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