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Beck
I figured it was a losing battle as soon as Faith got involved.
Sebastian
You’re a wise man. Sometimes.
Beck
Don’t be a dick.
I darted out to pick Alice up from school. When I told her the plan, she squealed at the idea of visitors. My extroverted kid wasn’t bummed at all that we weren’t going to have the evening to ourselves. I tried not to let that bother me.
“And I get to meet Uncle Sebastian’s girlfriend?” she asked.
I nodded. “You do.”
She damn near skipped all the way home.
I had just finished cleaning up the kitchen an hour later when I heard a knock on the door.
“They're here!” Alice screamed, in her high-pitched voice. It sounded like a stampede tramping through my hallways as she vaulted toward the door. Alice flung it open to let my friends in without bothering to look through the peephole, not that she could reach it. I quickly followed behind her, grabbing the door before it slammed into the drywall.
Faith beamed and even Sebastian looked amused to find my daughter greeting him.
Alice tugged Faith’s hand, trying to tow her in an acrobatic move that would impress a Cirque du Soleil performer, Faith passed the boxes of pizza to Sebastian without spilling a slice.
Then Willow burst through the door following Faith and my daughter. The lovable lab enjoyed bouncing between the city and the country house.
Thankfully, I was a dog guy.
Sebastian's normally grumpy demeanor cracked. And, for a second, I thought I saw a sense of longing in his gaze as he watched Faith and Alice walking away together.
Had he and Faith talked about children yet?
I’ll be damned. Sebastian Steele had found the woman for him and that brick facade was crumbling bit by bit.
My gaze slid to the wall between my house and Luna’s. For a brief second I considered what it might be like if she were here, greetingourfriendstogether.
Then I chuckled.Maybe in an alternative universe.
I clapped my friend on the back and headed to the kitchen where Alice was rattling off her favorite pizza combinations to Faith. The women stared at my daughter, completely enamored. Alice had that effect on people.
There was mischief in Faith's eyes as I poured the adults glasses of sparkling water and milk for Alice.
“How’s my bestie doing?” she asked.
I winked. “I’m doing great. Thanks for asking.”
She narrowed her eyes like she knew exactly what I was doing. “Love that you think you’re my bestie, we should talk about that. I was referring to…” She pointed at the wall separating my place from Luna’s.
Alice’s head whipped toward the wall and then back at me as if trying to puzzle things together. “You know Luna?”
Faith’s mouth twisted like the damn Cheshire Cat. “I do.”
Alice lit up. “So do I. She’s so nice. Do you know she babysat me? Although she didn’t think Hawaiian pizza is a good pizza. She’s wrong about that. Otherwise, she’s cool.”
Faith nodded sagely. “She is very cool. She's one of my best friends.” Then she turned to me. “So how is my best friend doing?”