Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115288 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
On this particular Monday, Gavin gets home from work around five thirty. Peyton is feeling fairy-ish, so the moment we walked through the door, we donned our tutus and our wings and spent half an hour dancing around her bedroom. As soon as Gavin arrived home, he was instructed to change by fairy Peyton.
Currently he’s wearing a pair of running pants that don’t hide much, and a blue tank top that looks like it was made for a teenager, and a very sparkly deep-blue tutu. I don’t know if it’s normal that I find him incredibly sexy dressed up like this. He’s just such a great dad.
The three of us gather in the kitchen, Gavin and I moving around each other as I cut up strawberries for Peyton to nibble on while we make dinner. Gavin puts his hands on my hips and moves me over enough so he can get into the drawer with the spatula. We’re having breakfast for dinner, one of Peyton’s favorite meals.
It means we’re having pancakes, bacon, and fresh chopped fruit.
When I turn to smile up at him, he drops a kiss on my cheek.
For a second I don’t think anything of it, until I refocus my attention on the bowl of hulled strawberries and push it toward Peyton, whose eyes are wide as saucers. “Dad kissed you!”
I can only imagine what my expression must be. I glance at Gavin, and he wears the same panic I’m feeling.
I don’t know how to address this, or what exactly to say.
“Harley and I like each other,” Gavin says.
“Like each other how? You only kiss Nana and me on the cheek. Is Harley like part of our family now? Did you kiss her on the cheek when she was my nanny too?” Peyton lobs questions at her dad.
“I didn’t kiss her on the cheek when you were a baby.” Gavin taps on the counter. “But that was a long time ago, and things are different now.”
“Different how?” Her eyes light up. “Is Harley your girlfriend? My friend Josie has an older sister and she’s in high school and she has a boyfriend named Davis who’s always over. She says she saw them kissing, but it wasn’t like a kiss on the cheek. She said it looked he was trying to eat her face. Bobby Cooper wants me to be his girlfriend, and he wants to hold my hand sometimes, but one of the other boys said he doesn’t wash his hands after he goes to the bathroom, which is gross. And I don’t think I want him to kiss me.” She wrinkles her nose then turns her attention to me. “Do you want my dad to kiss you?”
I chuckle, because her nine-year-old brain is hilarious, and look to Gavin to see how he wants to handle this. I’m relieved when he doesn’t lie to her. “How would you feel if Harley was my girlfriend?”
She tips her head to the side. “Would it change anything?”
“What do you mean?” Gavin asks.
Her lips twist to the side, and it’s clear she’s thinking. “Will Harley still come over and spend time with us?”
“Of course,” I say.
“So you won’t just want to spend time with Dad? You’ll still spend time with me too?”
“I’ll always want to spend time with you,” I assure her.
“It doesn’t change anything, honey. It just means that sometimes we might hold hands, and that you might see Harley more, instead of less.”
She ponders that for a minute before she nods. “Okay. Then I think I would feel good about Harley being your girlfriend. If she wants to. Do you want to be Dad’s girlfriend?” she asks me, her expression serious.
“I would like that,” I tell her honestly.
A wide grin breaks across her face and she claps once. “Yay! And Dad always washes his hands after he goes to the bathroom, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to hold his hand.”
“That’s very good news.” I smile up at Gavin, and he gives my hand a squeeze in return, but I worry that this was too easy and the hard stuff is yet to come.
* * *
A couple of weeks after we tell Peyton that we’re officially dating, I pick her up from school. I’ve been added as an emergency contact since I’m often Gavin’s fallback plan should a meeting run late or his parents aren’t able to grab her.
“Harley! I hoped you would be picking up Peyton today! Do you have a minute?” Her teacher, Mrs. Horton, gives me a bright smile when she sees me.
“Of course.” I hug Peyton and give her a kiss on top of the head.
Mrs. Horton asks Peyton if she would mind putting away the art supplies, and Peyton, being the helpful kid she is, rushes off. As soon as she’s out of earshot Mrs. Horton turns back to me. “I’ve sent out an email already, but I wanted to tell you that Peyton’s getting an award for being such a great help with her peers at the assembly next week. It’s on a Friday afternoon, and the assembly starts at one. I was wondering if you think her dad will be able to attend?”