Page 69 of One More Heartbeat
Peony and I burst out laughing. Peony lifts her arms, mimicking Zara. “Wheeeeee!” The action is made even cuter with her tiny, high-pitched voice.
Zara stands up at the bottom of the slide, her movements slightly halted, like it’s taking her more effort than normal to straighten.
Shit.I’m not sure she can carry Peony all the way back.
I squat in front of my daughter. “Can I carry you home?” I hold my hands out to her, hoping she’ll say yes, for Zara’s sake.
She tentatively steps forward, possibly thinking through her options or trying to figure out what I asked her.
She takes another tentative step, and another, until she’s standing in thespace between my hands. Seeing that as a positive sign, I slowly close my hands around her waist, giving her a chance to change her mind. Watching her body language for any indication things are about to go south.
I ease out a relieved breath when she doesn’t put up a fuss, and I carefully pick her up. Her legs straddle my waist, and I keep my arms protectively around her small frame. Holding her—my own flesh and blood—feels so right. So perfect.
Zara beams at us, as if Peony and I just won a gold medal in pairs skating.
I feel like I’ve won an Olympic gold medal. Or a Noble Peace Prize.
Only better.
“Have you talked to your physician or your father or Samuel about your shoulder pain?” I ask Zara as we walk to my house. I don’t want her to ignore the pain any longer. Samuel, an ER physician, and her father aren’t allowed to treat family members, but can’t she check to see what they recommend she should do?
“I had a medical appointment this afternoon.”
“And?”
Zara looks to the driveway where the ginger cat was earlier. It’s not there now. “He said it’s nothing to worry about. It will get better. I just need to give it more time.”
A comfortable silence joins us on the walk, but it’s not alone. An odd tension crackles in the air, whips around Zara and me, bringing with it the memory of her lips on mine.
Kiss her, a voice in my head commands, conveniently forgetting I’m carrying Peony.
No, I can’t kiss Zara. She’s my best friend. You don’t kiss your best friend ’cause you get the urge to.
Besides, what happened the other day was an accident. Neither of us planned for it to occur. She leaned in to kiss my cheek as I happened to turn my head. It was the accidental brushing of lips. Nothing more.
Get over it.
A bird tweets from a branch in a nearby tree, as if agreeing with my assessment.
Peony points up at the branches. “Bird.”
“That’s right, a bird.” A smile nestles in my tone.
“Fly!” Peony holds her arms out like wings preparing to take flight, her face bright with a toothy grin. The grin tugs on my heart, yanks at my soul. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would ever see that smile of hers intentionally directed my way. And now I’m not sure I can look away. Afraid if I do, I’ll never see that smile specifically for me again.
“Fly!” she repeats.
“You want to fly again?”
She bops her head, the toothy grin in full force.
“Okay.” I adjust my hold on her and lift her above my head, then swoop her through the air as if she’s flying.
She shrieks with delight, and her infectious giggles have Zara and me laughing alongside her. Christ, this moment is better than a golden sunrise after a cold and wet stormy night.
I carry her like this all the way to my driveway, my arms trembling slightly by the time we get there. My old CO would be disappointed. Clearly, I’ve been “slacking” on those killer runs with Kellan compared to when we were in the Marines.
I lower Peony to my waist. Her legs clamp around me with surprising strength, and the three of us stop next to the driver’s door of Zara’s car.
