Page 102 of Deal Breaker
Poppy nods solemnly. “I am. Next time Ford should cook too. Chef Ford has to earn his apron.”
Next time.I laugh, resting a hand on the doorframe. “Is that so?”
“We watch a lot of cooking shows,” Landyn admits with a sheepish grin. “But I agree, Poppy. I think we can put Ford in charge of the grilled cheese next time.”
There’s a crack in her voice as she finishes the sentence, and that warmth in my chest? That flicker of hope? It surges again, stronger now.
I look at Poppy. Her tiny fingers are tapping a rhythm on the counter, her braid falling over one shoulder. She’s humming to herself, like this is just another regular afternoon. And for her, it probably is, but for me, it’s everything. I can’t believe how much I already feel for her.
I’m in awe at the kind, smart, funny little girl she is, and I can see that her mom is the reason for that.
Landyn slides the last of the sandwiches onto a plate and turns off the stove. “Lunch is served,” she says with a smile, moving to set the plates on the small kitchen table.
I take the empty chair beside them, picking up a piece ofthe sandwich from the pink plate with cartoon characters I don’t recognize. And for a second, I imagine this is my life, that I’m not here as Landyn’s friend but as Poppy’s daddy. I want that more than I’ve ever wanted anything.
Poppy takes a big bite and hums her approval. “This is so good. You should open a restaurant, Mommy.”
Landyn laughs softly. “Chef Poppy, you did most of the work.”
Poppy peers over at me, toast crumbs on her cheek. “You have to try it, Ford.”
She watches, wide-eyed with anticipation as I take a bite.
“Do you like it?” she asks as soon as I’ve finished chewing.
“I love it,” I say, wiping my hands on a napkin. “It’s the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had.”
Poppy’s whole face lights up, and with that out of the way, she moves on to telling me everything. That grilled cheese is actually her second favorite sandwich, her first favorite being turkey and cheddar, but only if the bread is not squishy; that her best friend at school is Maisie, who apparently eats paste; that if she could have any pet in the world, she would pick a dog, preferably a black one with bright white spots on it.
I can’t keep up, but I hang on every word. Landyn watches us from across the table quietly, but I can feel her heart beating as clearly as if it were my own.
When lunch is over, Poppy wipes her hands on a towel and slides off her chair. “Can I go outside?” she asks.
“Shoes first,” Landyn says automatically, but Poppy is already halfway to the back door. I gather the plates from the table as Landyn wipes down the countertops.
“She’s something,” I say, loading the plates into the dishwasher.
Landyn nods. “She is.” I look out the kitchen window to the yard, where Poppy is twirling around with her hand held high, a rainbow ribbon trailing along behind her. “She does that when she’s happy,” Landyn says quietly, coming to stand beside me. “Spins in circles like that. Says it makes her feel like a princess.”
“I missed so much,” I murmur, not meaning to say it out loud.
Landyn’s shoulders go tight. “I know,” she whispers.
“I’m not saying it to make you feel worse.”
The hurt is still there, still heavy, but I can’t hold onto it when I see Poppy drop to the grass to pick a bouquet of dandelions. “I want to be part of this,” I say to her, drying my hands on a towel. “Of her life. Whatever it takes.”
Landyn’s voice is soft. “I know you do.”
I glance at her, jaw tight. “But you should know…I’m still angry.”
She meets my eyes. “I know that too.”
We fall quiet again, watching the little girl who ties us together, spinning and laughing with no clue of the weight of the moment hanging between us. Right now, the three of us are together, and we’re doing our best to make the most of the second chance we’ve been given.
Landyn and I finish the dishes slowly, neither of us in a hurry to see the moment end. Finally, she dries her hands on a dish towel and glances at me over her shoulder.
“We don’t have any plans the rest of the day,” she says carefully. “If you want to stay awhile…”
