Page 210 of Small Town Firsts
“I’m going to start the grill,” I muttered, deciding my best place was far away from where I could somehow scar my impressionable daughter. I might be tempted to kiss Ally’s smart mouth again and then Laurie might end up in psychotherapy years later because I couldn’t control my hormones.
When they finally came downstairs, the first wave of dogs and patties were on the grill and I’d already fielded two phone calls from crazed parents who were having issues of their own rounding up their kids. One of Laurie’s preschool classmates and her little brother were both attending the party, and their frantic Mom had called to commiserate about trying to get them ready. I’d figured she was just explaining why they’d be late until she asked me out after making a DILF joke.
I wasn’t an idiot. I knew that among many women of childbearing age, I was considered something of a prize. An employed man who was willingly parenting his child singlehandedly—though not necessarily with any skill—was basically a unicorn, except my horn was in my pants. And many of them wanted to ride it.
Usually, I managed to divert conversations away from the topic of dates, or finding a good woman to settle down with. I must’ve been off my game today because this one had broadsided me and I’d ended up fumbling through an excuse and basically hanging up on her.
I didn’t have an answer why I couldn’t go out with her. Technically, Ally and I had no rules. No arrangement that precluded either of us from seeing anyone else. We were friends who were fucking and trying to have a baby. There was no box to tick on Facebook for that one. Even “it’s complicated” didn’t begin to touch the reality of our existence.
But I didn’t want to date anyone else. And I sure as fuck didn’t want Ally to. Ever.
“There’s Daddy. Wait ‘til he sees you in your pretty, sparkly dress.” Ally’s voice carried out to me.
When she stepped out on the deck, carting my daughter in her arms, the inane thoughts in my head spewed out. “What does your Facebook status say?” I demanded, as if it was the most important question in the world.
Ally shifted Laurie in her arms. “What? Look at her dress,” she commanded.
Laurie’s grin tilted precariously. And her big blue eyes filled with tears.
Ah, fuck.
“Look at you in your beautiful dress,” I said, setting down my spatula to step toward them. I reached for Laurie but she pushed out a hand, nudging me back. With her other hand, she clung to Ally’s neck and buried her face in her chest.
The look Ally gave me was mutinous.
I stroked a hand over Laurie’s curling wet hair. She burrowed more into Ally. “You look like a princess, honey. All these purple sparkles.”
She didn’t reply. Ally just glared.
“What do you say you open one of your presents before your friends get here?” I wasn’t above bribery. Besides, I was keeping a pretty big secret about the party. But hell, it was supposed to rain, and how else could we entertain twenty kids indoors?
Laurie lifted her head and knuckled one of her eyes.
“Let’s go to the family room.” I checked the food on the grill, making sure I could leave it for a moment or two. “You want to man the grill while I take her downstairs?”
Ally stuck out her chin and her hand. “I can do it.”
“Thanks. We’ll be right back.” I exchanged the spatula for my daughter and had to swallow a chuckle as Ally poked at the simmering meat. Even after all these years of working at the diner, she still wasn’t very adept at making food, with a few notable exceptions.
Laurie poked me in the chest. “Down.”
Sure, Ally could carry her all over, but me? Not gonna happen.
Swallowing a sigh, I set her on her feet and she immediately took off down the hall, reaching up for the doorknob that ledinto the basement. She couldn’t quite turn it herself so I helped, and she rushed down the stairs. And stopped at the bottom, still gripping the railing.
Saying absolutely nothing.
I descended the steps behind her and taking advantage of her surprise, swooped her up again and set her on my hip. “It’s a giant sandbox.” I walked around the edges of the mostly contained mounds of sand I’d had trucked in on a whim yesterday while Laurie was at Pre-K. I’d had to pay outrageously for it, as well as call in a few favors, but I now was the proud owner of a shit-ton of sand that would be hauled out tomorrow at great personal expense. Not to mention all the furniture in this room had been shoved into the spare room and would need to be brought back out again.
Too bad Laurie was frowning at the giant, cool-as-fuck sandbox as if she didn’t get what it was.
“See, look.” I put her down outside the sand and bent to grab one of the oversized beach balls. I tossed it and it got stuck in a little valley, so I leaned forward to grab it?—
And my mischievous child saw fit to push me into the sand, letting out a huge squeal of laughter.
“Think that’s funny, huh? You rascal.” I darted forward on my knees and snatched her up, lifting her sideways and holding her over a big mound of sand. “Maybe I should push you into it too.”
“No, no, Daddy, no!”
