Page 59 of Falling Offsides

“You here to document our emotional breakdowns or just the part where Matheo eats seven churros in a row?”

“I’m thinking candids,” I say dryly. “Lots of tears. Maybe some slow-mo footage of someone losing a shoe.”

“Perfect. I’ll cry for the camera onIt’s a Small World. Eli, you in?”

Eli just sips from a massive iced tea behind him, silent as always, but his brow lifts like he’s mildly amused.

We head toward the front entrance where the rest of the group is gathering. Matheo and Erik are arguing over the fastest route toThunder Mountain, while Dylan stands calmly to the side with his ten-year-olddaughter, Lily, who’s holding a clipboard and pen like she’s running the whole damn park.

She spots me and waves. “Hi, you must be Bambi!”

I smile and crouch a little to her level. “Hey! You must be Lily.”

Dylan offers me a big smile when she beams at me with her startling blue eyes. “I am.”

“Do you know where you’re going to start?”

“My girl has a whole plan.” Dylan tucks a loose strand of her hair back into her French braid before he puts a baseball cap on her.

My eyebrows lift. “I love a good plan?”

Lily holds up her clipboard like it’s a sacred text. “If we start in the baby section, we can ease Uncle Auggie and Eli into the scary stuff. They pretend they’re cool with coasters, but they’re totally not. Last time, Uncle Auggie faked a stomach cramp to get out ofSpace Mountain.”

I choke on a laugh. “Seriously?”

“Yup.” She nods solemnly. “So we’re hittingFantasylandfirst. Get him onDumbo, thenSmall World. By the time we make it toThunder Mountain, he’ll be too deep into the itinerary to argue.”

“Well, that’s a genius plan,” I whisper, glancing over my shoulder at Auguste.

He’s sauntering through the gates, completely unaware he’s being schemed against by a ten-year-old in sparkly sunglasses and pink Minnie ears. And the funny thing is, I think even if he knew, he’d go along with it. It’s one of the things I’ve learnt about Auguste—he’s a family person.

“Uncle Auggie doesn’t stand a chance,” I say.

Lily just smirks. “He never does.”

Auguste walks up to us with this quiet, heavy-lidded intensity, like he’s the only person here not overwhelmed by the spinning colors and sugar-fueled chaos.

I hate how good he looks in this light. Hate how the morning sun hits his jaw just right and how my heart stumbles a little every time our eyes meet.

“You’re staring,” Jayden whispers to the side, not even looking at me.

“I’m literally not.”

“Okay, Bambs.” He grins wider. “Whatever you say.”

Before I can fire back, I feel a warm, familiar arm curl around my shoulders.

“Hey, honey.”

I tilt my head and smile. “Hey, Dad.”

He tugs me into his side and starts walking, matching the team’s slow pace as we funnel into the park.

“Now, I know you’re working,” he says cautiously, “but I want you to have a good time too. Enjoy yourself, kay?”

Just like that—with his arm squishing me into his side as he presses a gentle kiss to the top of my head—I’m ten years old again.

We fall into step behind Ansel and his son Micah as they walk with Dylan and Lily. The two kids are about the same age and Micah already knows not to argue with Lily when she tells him where to go first.

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