Page 81 of Vital Blindside

“Mom!” Scarlett shrieks at the same time I burst into laughter.

“You’re a natural comedian, Amelia,” I say, shooting her a quick wink.

Amelia looks innocently at Scarlett. “Was it something I said?”

“Yes,” my girl says while I say, “No.”

Scarlett turns to me, exasperated. “You are not helping.”

With a grin, I tug her close and whisper, “Sorry, baby.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Adam, you wouldn’t mind if I stole my daughter for the rest of the day, would you?” Amelia asks, almost shyly.

She’s watching our interaction with intrigue and probably has a million questions to bombard her daughter with. Scarlett looks up at me and nods reassuringly.

I meet her stare and squeeze her hand, as if to ask if she’s sure, and when she mouths a simple yes, I believe her.

“Of course not. I have a son to pick up in a couple hours and a festival to finish planning for next weekend, so I’m sure I can keep myself busy,” I say.

Amelia’s eyes flare with excitement. “A festival? I haven’t been to one of those in years.” She looks at her daughter. “Are you going, my love? Would you take this old lady with you?”

Neither of us tells her that it’s an annual event and has been for the past eight years. Scarlett smiles at her mother. “Of course, Mom. Everyone from WIT will be so excited to meet you.”

Amelia arches a brow. “You’ve talked me up, have you? That’s my girl.”

“She adores you, Amelia. Truly,” I share.

When Amelia gives me a smile that looks far too sad for someone filled with so much happiness, Scarlett inches closer to me and says to her, “What do you say I make some lemonade and we go sit on the back deck? I’ll tell you all about the festival, and you can tell me about your night. Deal?”

“Deal, my love,” Amelia replies gently. She comes at me with a hug before I have a chance to realize what’s happening. I’m only just returning the gesture when she whispers, “Thank you. Thank you for taking care of her for me.”

She pulls back quickly after that, and I’m left with a dry mouth, words a foreign concept. Her smile is sincere when she squeezes my arm and disappears through an archway I assume leads to the kitchen.

Scarlett moves to my front and places her hands against my chest as her eyes meet mine. “I actually think having you here helped. She had no choice but to try and get past her own emotions. Your flirting worked.”

I smirk. “That wasn’t flirting, Scary Spice. You’re the only woman in a decade that’s been on the receiving end of my flirting. That was me being honest. Think I’ve won her approval?”

“You’ve had her approval since the moment she ran into you with a plant in her arms.”

I place my finger beneath her chin and tip her head back the slightest bit. “Good. Although I would have been here whether I had it or not. This just makes it less awkward.”

And with that, I kiss her goodbye.

Maddox and Cooper are inhaling stacks of pancakes at the table when I enter the Huttons’ kitchen. Noah is drawing on a small kids table a few feet over, and Adalyn is sitting on Ava’s lap beside the two boys.

Addy is the first to notice me, her green eyes lighting up. “Dam! Dam!”

The two boys look over at me as Noah says, “Adam, Addy. He’s Adam.”

His sister stares at him, unblinking. “Dam.”

“Sure,” Noah grunts before going back to his colouring.

“Hey, Dad,” Cooper says through a mouthful of pancakes. He quickly drinks his orange juice. “You’re early.”

I look at my watch. “It’s eleven. And I’m here to go over festival plans with Ava. Not dragging you home just yet.”

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