the front door to make sure no one was coming in, he hurried through the rear storeroom and poked his head out. Josh was fishing off the dock, which was far and away his favorite thing to do. Alex didn’t like the fact that Josh was out there alone—he had no doubt that some people would regard him as a bad father for allowing it—but Josh always stayed within visual range of the video monitor behind the register. It was a rule, and Josh had always adhered to it. Kristen, as usual, was sitting at her table in the corner behind the register. She’d separated her American Girl doll clothing into different piles, and she seemed content to change her doll from one outfit to the next. Each time she finished, she would look up at him with a bright, innocent expression and ask her daddy how he thought her doll looked now, as if it were possible he would ever say he didn’t like it.
Little girls. They could melt the toughest hearts.
Alex was straightening some of the condiments when he heard the bell on the front door jingle. Raising his head over the aisle, he saw Katie enter the store.
“Hi, Miss Katie,” Kristen called out, popping up from behind the register. “How do you think my doll looks?”
From where he was standing, he could barely see Kristen’s head above the counter, but she was holding… Vanessa? Rebecca? Whatever the doll with brown hair was called, high enough for Katie to notice.
“She’s beautiful, Kristen,” Katie answered. “Is that a new dress?”
“No, I’ve had it for a while. But she hasn’t worn it lately.”
“What’s her name?”
“Vanessa,” she said.
Vanessa, Alex thought. When he complimented Vanessa later, he would sound like a much more attentive father.
“Did you name her?”
“No, she came with the name. Can you help me get her boots on, though? I can’t get them on all the way.”
Alex watched as Kristen handed Katie the doll and she began to work on the soft plastic boots. From his own experience, Alex knew it was harder than it looked. There wasn’t a chance a little girl could somehow muscle them on. He had trouble putting them on, but somehow Katie made it seem easy. She handed the doll back and asked, “How’s that?”
“Perfect,” Kristen said. “Do you think I should put a coat on her?”
“It’s not that cold out.”
“I know. But Vanessa gets cold sometimes. I think she needs one.” Kristen’s head vanished behind the counter and then popped up again. “Which one do you think? Blue or purple?”
Katie brought a finger to her mouth, her expression serious. “I think purple might be good.”
Kristen nodded. “That’s what I think, too. Thanks.”
Katie smiled before turning away, and Alex focused his attention on the shelves before she caught him staring. He moved jars of mustard and relish toward the front of the shelf. From the corner of his eye, he saw Katie scoop up a small shopping basket before moving toward a different aisle.
Alex headed back to the register. When she saw him, he offered a friendly wave. “Good morning,” he said.
“Hi.” She tried to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, but it was too short to catch. “I just have to pick up a few things.”
“Let me know if you can’t find what you need. Sometimes things get moved around.”
She nodded before continuing down the aisle. As Alex stepped behind the register, he glanced at the video screen. Josh was fishing in the same spot, while a boat was slowly docking.
“What do you think, Daddy?” Kristen tugged on his pant leg as she held up the doll.
“Wow! She looks beautiful.” Alex squatted down next to her. “And I love the coat. Vanessa gets cold sometimes, right?”
“Yup,” Kristen said. “But she told me she wants to go on the swings, so she’s probably going to change.”
“Sounds like a good idea,” Alex said. “Maybe we can all go to the park later? If you want to swing, too.”
“I don’t want to swing. Vanessa does. And it’s all pretend, anyway, Daddy.”
“Oh,” he said, “okay.” He stood again. Scratch going to the park, he thought.
Lost in her own world, Kristen began to undress the doll again. Alex checked on Josh in the monitor just as a teenager entered the store, wearing nothing but board shorts. He handed over a wad of cash.
“For the pump at the dock,” he said before dashing out again.
Alex rang him up and set the pump as Katie walked to the