Page 19 of Spark

I roll nimbly to my knees, picking Gracie up and tossing her into the air. She squeals and wiggles until I do it again. “Looks like I gotchu this time, Gracie-girl.”

I throw her until my arms go numb.

“‘Gain, ‘gain,” she begs.

“Sorry, baby, Daddy is worn slap out. Why don’t we find somewhere for lunch and a beer?” I suggest.

“Beer!” she parrots gleefully.

I shrug away Avery’s exasperated smile. “You can have one, too,” I say to placate her.

“Where should we go?” I ask Gracie as I tote her the long walk back to the car.

“Pizza!” she shouts so loud it makes my ears ring.

“Of course,” Avery says. “Pizza does sound great. I”m starving.”

“Pizza it is.” Whatever my girls want.

Crazy Beach Pizza is a short drive from the beach and we fall on slices oozing with grease and cheese like we haven’t eaten in a week. I wash mine down with a cold beer, then wait as the girls go for seconds.

My fingers play idly with the tip of Avery’s ponytail as she carefully cuts Gracie’s pizza into little bites. Man, I could get used to this. Two years later and I haven’t. I hope it always feels brand new. I hope there’s always a surprise, another adventure around the corner.

“What is it?” Avery asks.

“Nothing. Just…happy.”

“You mean you’re glad you got a beer,” she teases.

I kiss the smile off her face, until her eyes go dark with lust and her pizza drops to her plate. “It means I’m glad I’ve got you.”

“Me, too, me, too!” Gracie says until I give her a smacking kiss.

“I’m glad I’ve got you, too,” I tell her.