Page 167 of Ice Darling
Cordelia
When the first movie’s over and the plates have been cleared, Gordie convinces Renthrow to share out ice creamandwatch the sequel toFrozen.
But, after fighting so hard to stay up late, the little girl sinks into my side almost immediately. I see her eyelashes fluttering.
Charmed, I run my hand down her ponytail. “Are you tired?”
“It’s past her bedtime,” Renthrow says grudgingly. I guess I’d be that grumpy too if I was continuously being steamrolled by a six-year-old who weighs less than sixty pounds.
“You don’t have to take her out of her routine because of me,” I tell him as the movie starts. “Besides, she’s falling asleep anyway.”
“I’m awake!” Gordie insists. She sits up straight as an arrow, her eyes glued to the television screen.
Renthrow meets my eyes and shakes his head at me.
I stifle my laughter.
After the first song, Gordie snuggles into my side again. I hear her breathing evenly.
“She’s asleep,” I whisper to Renthrow.
He observes her with a frown. “Of course, she is. And she didn’t brush her teeth.”
He scoots forward, his arms outstretched as if he’ll take Gordie from me. Without thinking it through, I raise a hand to block him.
Renthrow stops abruptly.
“J-just a few more minutes,” I say, feeling stupid for keeping the man from his own daughter.
His lips twitch.
“You don’t mind, right?” My voice cracks a bit as I realize how presumptuous I’m being. I hope I’m not crossing any boundaries. I don’t want to offend him or…
A smile tilts his lips. “Of course, I don’t mind.”
I start to drop my arm when he reaches out and links our fingers together.
Heart fluttering, I try to tug away. “What if Gordie sees?”
“She’s fast asleep,” he whispers back.
I resist anyway.
He brings my hand to his lips and gives me a look that makes my stomach flip. I stop fighting immediately.
“Want to watch the cooking show we never got to finish?” he offers.
I go mute. His hand feels amazing around mine, but I can’t stop overthinking. Is my palm sweating? Can he see the oil stains on my fingernails? Will he think I’m not clean because of them?
Forcing myself to breathe, I nod.
Renthrow turns on the closed captions and drops the volume to the lowest.
“Just let me know when you’re tired. She might be little, but her head weighs as much as mine.”
I laugh softly.
As the show plays, my mind quiets down. Renthrow has never made me feel insecure about being a mechanic, so there’sno reason for me to stress about how I look. Plus, after that kiss in the kitchen, mutual attraction is not something I have to worry about.
