Page 105 of This Kind of Forever

“Daddy, please! My tummy hurts from laughing!”

I stop my assault, and Abbie goes limp in my arms. “You drive a hard bargain, dude, but I accept.”

“Put me down!” I set her on her feet, and she runs for the kitchen. “I’ll get the pizza.”

While we have a minute, I reach out and grab Hallie’s hand, tugging her closer. I wrap an arm around her waist. “Thanks for staying with her.”

She smiles, then glances over her shoulder. Abbie is still banging around in the kitchen, so she turns back to me. “Of course. You know I love hanging out with her. Even more than I love spending time with her dad.”

My brows raise. “Oh, really? I suppose you won’t be sneaking into my bed tonight, then.”

“Well, I wouldn’t gothatfar,” she amends.

“Hmm. I thought so.” Hallie pushes up on tiptoe, leaning in to kiss me. I draw back. “Abbs will be back any second.”

She shocks the hell out of me by saying, “I know. I’m done hiding, Gabe.”

So I kiss her. I can’t help myself. After the talk with my dad, and coming home to my girls, I’m feeling pretty damn invincible.

“Ew!”

Hallie and I break apart, and my wide eyes meet hers.Shit. I lower my arm from Hallie’s waist, and we both turn to find Abbie, nose scrunched, looking up at us. A plate of pizza—six or seven slices, way more than I can eat—is balancing precariously in her hand.

I hook my pinkie around Hallie’s, grabbing her attention.Sorry, I mouth.

She tightens her pinkie, then lets go. “It’s okay,” she says. “It’s time.”

My heart kicks into overdrive as I watch Hallie take the plate from Abbie and ask her to sit on the couch. Then Hallie looks at me. “Can I?”

I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to say in this situation, so I nod. Maybe she’ll have better luck than me.

Hallie sits beside my daughter. “Abbie, can I tell you something?” she asks. “It’s a bit of a secret, because I’ve been scared to tell a lot of people, but it’s important to me that you know.”

“But grown ups don’t get scared,” Abbie protests.

“Sure we do,” Hallie replies. “There’s different types of scared. Sometimes, you get scared of the shadows in your room, and you have to turn on the light to prove there are no monsters. And sometimes, it’s scary being vulnerable—sharing your feelings. But that’s what friends are for, and you and I are friends, right?”

“Yes! You can tell me.”

Hallie leans in close. “I really,reallylike your dad.”

My daughter gasps, then lets out a giggle that she covers with her hand. “Youlike likehim? Like Sophia’s sister likes Lukey?”

“Yes, exactly like that. And I think—” Hallie’s eyes drift to me. “No, Iknowhe likes me, too.”

Abbie nods. “Yes! Daddy’s always happy to see you, and you’re really pretty.”

Hallie’s cheeks pinken at the compliment. “Thank you. You’re really pretty, too. But, Abbs, do you think you’d be okay if me and your dad were together?”

She cocks her head. “Like boyfriend and girlfriend?”

“Yeah, Princess,” I say, finally finding my voice. “Do you think that would be okay with you?”

Abbie seems to think on it for a moment. Slowly, she begins to nod. “Yeah. But…can I get a cat, Daddy?”

I arch a brow. “Are you trying to negotiate with me?”

She shrugs, but a grin tugs at her lips. Hallie, on the other hand, can’t contain her laughter.