on a movie shoot, I sometimes didn’t go to bed until the early hours. My sleeping pattern is all messed up. It’s hard enough having to get up and be at Adam’s office by nine five days a week. I’m usually in bed until noon on the weekends.” I handed Katie back her toast.
Kyle ate fast. I wondered how he didn’t get heartburn ingesting food like that. He was finished before I had even finished my coffee. “This one gets up at five every morning. She hasn’t learned that weekends are for sleeping in.” He ruffled Katie’s hair with a fond smile.
“Five o’clock? AM?” I gaped.
Kyle chuckled. “Oh yeah. I’m afraid while you’re living here, this one won’t let you sleep in. She’ll want you watching cartoons with her before the rooster crows.”
“You need to learn to let your daddy sleep, Katie Boo.” I grinned, wagging my finger in her face. She grabbed hold of it and shook it, laughing.
“It’s okay; I get a lot done in the day now that I don’t sleep.” Kyle smirked. “Speaking of, how did you sleep last night? Was the bed okay? The mattress is new, so it might be stiff. And I tried to air out the paint smell as much as possible, but I noticed it last night—”
“I slept great. Honestly. The bed is great. After the day we had yesterday, I needed a good night’s rest,” I assured him.
“Not much of a wedding night, huh? Both of us passed out before ten.” When Kyle smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkled adorably, and that dimple I had noticed all those years ago became visible.
“Ah well, it wasn’t your typical wedding. We’re just sticking to brand,” I joked, which fell a little flat. Kyle’s smile was quick and strained, and then he was up, rinsing off his plate and putting it in the dishwasher.
“I’m not sure what you have planned for today. I usually take Katie to the park. There’s a group of moms that meet every week for a playgroup of sorts. Afterward, we get lunch in town somewhere. I got some charcoal at the store last week, so maybe we could cook out later?” he suggested.
“Oh. Uh, that sounds ... yeah …” I stuttered lamely.
“But if you have other stuff you want to do, don’t feel you have to hang out with us. I know you’re living here now, and we’re technically married, but that doesn’t mean you have to play family. Only when it counts, right?” He was rambling. Shit, I made him ramble.
“I have no plans, Kyle. I’m not exactly Miss Social anymore. I’d love to hang out with the two of you.” I pretended to snatch Katie’s nose, and she squealed, which made me laugh.
I looked up to find Kyle watching me, and I wished I knew what he was thinking. “Okay, then. Well, let me clean up our breakfast dishes and get Katie’s stuff together, and we’ll head out.”
“What can I do? I mean, I live here now. I can’t expect you to wait on me hand and foot.” I rinsed out my coffee cup.
“You could clean up the grub monster and maybe grab some snacks from the cabinet to put in the diaper bag,” Kyle said, wiping down the counter.
“I’m on it.” I turned to the little girl who was literally covered in food. “Um, what do I use to clean her? Should I take her out in the yard and hose her off?” I teased.
Kyle handed me a packet of wet wipes. “No hose necessary. This time at least. Wait until you see what she looks like after ice cream.”
And then we went about our tasks. Kyle cleaning up after breakfast, and me getting Katie ready for the day. It felt so familial. Like a damn Norman Rockwell painting. All sweet domesticity.
I looked over at Kyle just as he glanced my way. Our eyes met. We smiled. Then quickly moved on.
I couldn’t get too comfortable. That would be dangerous.
**
“Should she be climbing that? What if she falls?” I asked as we watched Katie scramble up the jungle gym, seemingly unnerved by the height.
“Are you going to be the one to stop her?” Kyle chuckled, going to stand beneath her in case she slipped. “She’s actually a pretty good little climber. I haven’t been able to keep her on the ground at the park since she learned to walk. She’s been climbing all over this thing since she was ten months old.”
The park was crowded