Enemy's Secret - Ashlee Price Page 0,55

pack and handing the army green hat, top side down, to Madison. Then I show her the webpage describing the story of how it has been eaten by an elephant and come out fully intact - three different times. "Take a look."

A minute or so of intent reading, and she lets out a delighted peal of laughter. "I can't believe it. That's insane."

"That's the Tilley hat for you. It's an adventurer's hat."

Maddy brightens even more. "Does that mean we're going to go on adventures?"

"Oh, definitely. Didn't your mom tell you? There's three parks we're going to go to, and they're huge. They've got rides, animals, restaurants."

"We can go to restaurants at home," Maddy says, clearly unimpressed.

"Can you see elephants at home?" I shoot back.

All smiles again. "The same elephants that ate the hat?"

"Not sure. Want to ask them with me?"

Madison and Kyra just laugh and laugh. I'm smiling myself. I never had a ride to the airport as much fun as this.

Before I know it, we're there. I managed to ensure that Kyra and Maddy were on the same flight as me, so we go through security together.

Once we're out, I buy us all some fried plantains and we sit down to wait. Madison has a book - some Harry Potter. Kyra has her own book - something by Kate Morton.

"It any good?" I ask her.

"It is," she admits, "but I can't really concentrate. I'm too excited."

"Dying to see the elephants too?" I tease.

"No, just excited to see how much fun Maddy's going to have." Hell, she's beaming. Damn do I love making my girl happy - not that she is my girl. Not yet, at least. "And a spa day won't hurt."

I smile. "Ah, so you did check out that email I sent last night."

"Sorry." Apologetic smile. "I got it in the middle of a packing frenzy. Madison was convinced she needed to bring just about every pair of shorts she has. Which yes, is over fourteen."

"You were the one who couldn't decide which bathing suit to bring," Madison replies smoothly. "You were all, 'do you think Landon will like this one or this one'?"

"I was not!" Kyra says hotly.

Maddy and I crack up, then high-five each other.

"Oh, so that's how it is?" Kyra says, although she's chuckling now too. "You two against me?"

"No comment," Maddy says with a grin.

The plane is right on time, so we board without any issues. On it, Kyra falls fast asleep. That leaves me and Maddy, half watching Madagascar, and half eating every can of Pringles we can get our hands on. On what must be the fourth, Maddy casts me an assessing sidelong gaze.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing," she says, all innocence.

"Tell me," I say.

"Make me," she shoots back, sticking out her tongue.

I shrug. "Alright. Guess we're full of Pringles now, is that it?"

Maddy sighs. "Fine. Don't tell Mom I'm telling you this. But I think she really likes you."

"What makes you say that?"

She shrugs. "Dunno. Anyway, you have to promise to keep it a secret."

I do a motion of zipping up my lips and throwing away the key. "You have my word."

The flight is pretty uneventful. Eventually Maddy nods off too. That leaves just me, munching on the remainder of the Pringles.

When we arrive, it's a quick walk through the airport to catch a taxi. It takes us straight to our hotel - the Four Seasons in Disney World. On the outside, it's just a tan, vaguely Spanish block of a building, but on the inside, it's all chic furniture and staff who know what you want before you even know it yourself.

We end up meeting up with Harley and Greyson at the rooftop steakhouse, all dark grey stone and some sort of giant red paper ornament overhead.

"Kyra," Harley says, grinning like she means it as she shakes her hand, "great to finally meet you. I've heard a lot."

"Hopefully mostly good things," Kyra says, only half-joking.

"This guy was always a fan," Harley says with a wink as she leans in. "He thought you were the best thing to happen to our Landon."

"Did I say that?" Greyson grumbles.

"You did," Harley singsongs.

"Remind me not to tell you things," he says, deadpan.

"What about you?" Kyra asks. "How's your little boy - I think Landon told me his name is Dakota?"

"He's having a nice weekend with Grandma," Harley says. "I swear, sometimes I think he loves her more than me. Probably since he gets unlimited cookies at her house."

After some more pleasantries, we sit down, order and