Page 46 of Enemy Daddy Next Door

“Jess, it’s Amy’s present, she wants to –“

I laugh and give her the gift. “It’s okay. She’ll do a better job of opening it anyway. I’m always too careful.”

Hunter smiles at me gratefully and we both watch as Jessica tears the wrapping paper off the box. It doesn’t reveal much, just a brown gift box.

“Okay, you can open it now,” Jessica says with an excited look at her dad.

I glance between them, taking the box back. I open it, revealing white tissue paper. I undo the first layer and find a small stuffed lion with big googly eyes and a bright orange mane. “A lion!” I exclaim. “I love lions.”

“Daddy said you’re a Leo and that’s a lion,” Jessica said. “I picked it out.”

See? Everyone in California knows astrology. Even Hunter Ricks.

“There’s more, there’s more!”

“I know, I can feel it. It’s kind of heavy…” I undo the rest of the tissue, my fingers brushing up against a cool layer of glass. “Oh my word…”

Colors flash before my eyes. I need to make sense of what I’m seeing at first but when I do...I feel tears in my eyes.

In a lilac colored frame is a version of the cover of Petunia’s Parental Predicament done entirely in crayon. The title and the words are written to the best of their ability although the ‘d’ is backwards and some of the e’s are capitalized.

“I did it,” Jessica says.

In the bottom corner, Jessica has scrawled her name in big red letters. I touch it softly. “I can see that, Jess. It’s beautiful.”

“She insisted on doing it…it’s her favorite book, so…” Hunter explains.

My eyes flick from him to Jessica and back again. I feel as though I might cry if I’m not careful. “It’s beautiful. Really, really…” I shake off the weepiness. “Can I have another hug?”

Jessica grins and nods eagerly.

I hand the gift back to Hunter and wrap my arms around Jessica again. She pushes her head right into the crook of my neck. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

“You’re welcome!” she says in a sing-song voice.

Then, I look up at Hunter. “Thank you,” I repeat.

“All I did was frame it,” he says almost bashfully as if this wasn’t one of the sweetest gestures. “I was going to get you something else, but, I –”

“It’s perfect. Really.” I pull away from Jess and push her hair out of her face. “Really.”

“Jessie!” The rip roaring cry of Stella interrupts the moment. My niece comes sprinting over and grabs Jessica’s hand. “We’re going up to the treehouse! Can Jessica come?” Stella asks Hunter, standing on her tiptoes as if that could somehow eliminate the distance between them.

Hunter grins. “Of course.”

Jessica and Stella run off down the yard in the direction of the path to the treehouse. For a brief moment I think about how easily Jessica and Hunter would fit into my family. They’re already so entangled.

Getting ahead of yourself, Amy.

Probably should deal with the virginity thing first.

“If there weren’t so many people around, I’d give you a birthday kiss too,” Hunter murmurs.

My mouth falls ajar. The two feet between us might as well be miles now that he’s said that. “Y-yeah, that could be awkward if you did.”

Hunter’s lips curl to the side in a knowing smile. “I’m going to grab a drink.”

“Yes, of course. Please, enjoy yourself.”

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