Page 147 of The Fates We Tame

“It’s nineteen hundred dollars which is a lot of money. Bet I can double it for you.”

Her jaw drops wide open. “You can do that?”

The way she looks at me like I’m a superhero says I’ll do even better or pay her the difference myself. “Sure thing, kid. What kind of things do you like so I can decide good investments for you?”

Avery drums her fingers on the top of the bar. “I like Daddy’s motorbike. And princess movies, but only if the princess fights. I like Uncle Colton’s pancakes. And Mommy’s face when she wears makeup, and sometimes she lets me wear lipstick. And Mac, Auntie Iris’s service dog that I’m not allowed to touch. And I liked when we went on an airplane to Mexico for Uncle Colton’s wedding, and I got all this money that had different coins. Oh,and I want my ears pierced, but Daddy said no, then even Uncle Colton said no. And if Uncle Colton says no, it must be a really bad idea, because usually he says yes to whatever I say.”

I smile at the innocence of her answers. “Okay, I got a plan then. Let’s invest in a diamond for princess sparkle and possible future diamond earrings. We could invest in currency, because that’s what all the coins and notes are called. And I’ll see where airlines and bike and cosmetic manufacturers sit on a price-to-earning ratio and see if we can find one of each.”

She climbs up onto her knees, cups her hand to my ear and whispers, “I only understood the diamonds.”

I put my hand around her waist so she doesn’t fall off the stool. “I’m gonna invest in the things you like. Diamonds. Money. Airplanes. Makeup. And bikes.”

Avery grins at that. “Yes. Make me enough to buy a clubhouse.”

“I’ll do my best.”

She zips up her empty panda backpack and drops down off her stool. “I love you, Uncle Vex.”

But she runs off before I have time to reply. “Yeah, love you too, sweet cheeks.”

Everyone turns their attention to the flatscreen TV. There’s a scramble as people find the one they want to be standing next to when the ball drops. Quickly, I stack the notes and shove them in my pockets.

“Ten,” everyone calls out.

Bates lifts Avery into his arms and sandwiches her between him and his pregnant old lady.

“Nine.”

Avery stretches out her hand behind her father’s head so she can reach Niro, who has his arm around Cat. He holds her hand.

“Eight.”

King wraps his arms around Rae’s back, pulling her closer.

“Seven.”

Halo lifts Ari into his arms and she wraps her legs around him, kissing him as if the ball already dropped. A baby monitor hangs off the back pocket of his jeans.

“Six.”

Clutch thrusts a champagne glass into Gwen’s hand as she laughs.

“Five.”

Spark places his hands on Iris’s very pregnant stomach, and whispers something that makes her place her hand over his heart.

“Four.”

Saint fists his hands in Briar’s hair and studies his woman intently.

“Three.”

Catalina slides her hand into the back pocket of Niro’s jeans.

“Two.”

Switch cups Sophia’s cheeks and kisses her like a starved man.