It’s no big deal.”
I had to clench my hands into fists to keep from grabbing her again. Fuck, I’d missed her.
“Good night,” she whispered.
“Good night,” I said, reaching for her hand one more time and pressing my lips to it.
She flushed at the contact and then disappeared inside.
I waited until the door closed behind her before heading back to my truck. The night was buzzing in my veins. My steps were light, as if I were walking on clouds. A part of me considered doing a silly romcom twirl right there in the driveway. As soon as I plopped down in the driver’s seat, I realized what this emotion was flooding my senses—giddiness.
I hadn’t felt like this in a long, long time.
When I made it back home, Annie was in the living room, watching Netflix. “Have a good night?”
“Yes. It was great. Thank you for watching Aly.”
“Anytime. You know I don’t mind. I love spending time with her.”
“Well, I appreciate it nonetheless.”
“You could have stayed out later, you know,” she said, suggestively raising and lowering her eyebrows.
I laughed and went into the kitchen. I pulled two beers out of the fridge and handed one to Annie as I sank into the seat next to her.
“So…what happened?” she pried, taking a swig of her beer.
“Really, nothing much. We just walked around the vineyard and talked.”
“And kissed?”
“And kissed,” I confirmed.
And what a kiss it had been. Never in a million years had I thought that I’d get another chance with Peyton. She had been the girl of my dreams in high school, and she still was now that we were both adults. I’d just always thought that she was so far out of reach. What could a famous ballerina want with someone like me?
But none of that seemed to matter when I was around her. She was effervescent, and it just spilled into my life.
Annie did a little dance on the couch. “It is so good to see you happy again.”
I shrugged and turned back to the TV. This wasn’t a conversation I really wanted to have. “I’ve been happy.”
“Bro…”
“Aly makes me happy.”
“Well, obviously. How could she not? She’s wonderful. But there are other kinds of happiness, and you know it.”
“Yeah,” I muttered.
“And Peyton has always brought that out in you. Look at you. You’re all smiley.”
I rolled my eyes at her. “I smile all the time.”
She poked me in my side. “You know what I mean.”
“All right,” I said, warding her off. “I do know what you mean. And Peyton does make me happy and smile. I asked her to go to the Wright Christmas party with me.”
Annie shrieked with excitement.
“Shh!” I hissed.
We both fell silent and listened to the back bedrooms in anticipation. Aly was a light sleeper on a good night. She had never really been a great sleeper. I remembered the early years when she wouldn’t sleep anywhere but in my bed. It was still hard to get her to fall asleep in her own room. We’d been working on it a lot.
I breathed out in relief. “I don’t think we woke her.”
“Sorry. I got carried away. I’m just excited for you.”
“I think I realized that when you insisted I go on this date tonight and all but pushed me out the door.”
“Sometimes, you need the kick in the ass to get going.”
I drained the rest of my beer. “Suuure.”
“What? You do. Remember that time—”
But she didn’t get to finish her sentence because we both heard shuffling down the hallway.
“Daddy,” a small voice called.
Annie and I both groaned softly. She had woken Aly up. Shit.
“I can do it,” Annie said.
But I was already on my feet, waving her off. “Aly Cat, I’m here.”
Aly was standing in the hallway with her eyes half-closed. She yawned wide and then blinked when she saw me. “Daddy, I heard voices.”
“It’s okay. It was just me and Aunt Annie in the living room.”
“Oh. Okay. Would you tuck me in?”
“Of course.”
I picked her up and carried her back into her room. The space was decorated with moons and stars. They glowed brightly despite the late hour. I deposited her into her bed and tucked the moon covers up to her chin.
“There you are.” I stroked her hair back from her face. “Did you have a fun time with Aunt Annie tonight?”
“Yes,” she said with another big yawn. “I had mac and cheese for dinner, and she let me have ice cream.”
I laughed. “That sounds like you were spoiled.”
She gave me a sleepy grin that