Page 9

9

UNINVITED

QUINN

We take Sienna to this super cute shop in town because Jack is insistent that she needs an insanely overpriced Halloween costume.

What he actually said was something along the lines of, “Wally World doesn’t have anything we like.” As if she’s not less than one years old and will be wearing it for more than like forty-five minutes.

The store is on a cozy little side street paved with cobblestones, and it's all decked out for the holiday. There are jack-o-lanterns on either side of the door and fake spiderwebs all over the windows.

Jack has Sienna’s carrier strapped around his waist, but when he takes her out of her car seat she immediately reaches for me. “Daddy came home early just to spend time with you, sweet girl. Aren’t you tired of me?”

The corners of her eyes glisten as big crocodile tears form, and Jack gives me a pained look. “I’ve been replaced.”

“You have not.” I roll my eyes and take her from him because I care way more about stopping her tears than I do about his hurt feelings.

He unclasps the carrier and readjusts the band, his fingers deftly navigating the straps. I’m closing the car door when he takes me by surprise, coming in behind me to wrap it around my midsection.

His sudden closeness catches me completely off guard, the gesture is both far too intimate and surprisingly comfortable. Familiar .

His hand rests on the small of my back for a moment longer than necessary, and when he finally steps back, there's a lingering connection that doesn’t require physical touch on either of our parts. His eyes catch on mine, and it feels like a silent understanding between the two of us that the effortlessness of whatever this is—it’s not something that either of us can easily ignore.

Chill bumps rise on my arms in response to his nearness, and he must notice because he opens the passenger door and pulls out my jacket… which he then proceeds to help me into. Thankfully there is a bite in the air I can blame—though that’s not the reason at all for my sudden shiver.

A bell tinkles as we enter the shop and my nose is immediately filled with the cloying smell of pumpkin spice. The shelves are stacked high with jars of pumpkin-scented candles—several burning—competing for attention with displays of fall that have thrown up on every available surface.

I am a pumpkin spice girlie. I love fall and all the scents and flavors that come with it, but this is a lot.

But because candles are my favorite thing ever, I can’t resist stopping to smell a few. When I pop the lid off the third one, Sienna grabs for it wanting to join in on the sniff test.

“Like this.” I make a show of holding it up to my face and taking a deep breath through my nose, then I hold it a safe distance from hers to see if she’ll do the same.

To my surprise and delight, she does. It’s both adorable and hilarious, especially when she gives me a look of disgust. “Yeah, I don’t like that one either.” I giggle.

I notice that Jack is staring at us with what can only be described as affectionate curiosity, but I force myself to not hold his gaze for too long. “I think the burnt sugar and leather scented one is my favorite,” I tell Sienna, as if she has any idea what I am saying. Even so, talking to babies is important.

I screw the lid on and place it back on the shelf before moving to follow Jack to the side wall that’s lined with tiny Halloween costumes.

Amidst the mass of them, Jack’s gaze immediately fixes on a tiny red lobster outfit. He pulls it from the rack and it’s complete with oversized googly eyes and two foam claws. “Look no further. This is the one.”

I cover Sienna’s eyes and he looks at me confusedly. “You’re serious?”

“Dead.”

Sienna shoves my hand out of the way and giggles. “A lobster?”

“Oh, absolutely. This will be perfect for handing out candy. I can make her walker into a giant stew pot.”

“Jack, you cannot be serious. Of all the hundreds of fifteen dollar costumes available anywhere else, you come here to spend seventy-five on that ?” I point at it like it’s offensive because it is . “Also, what do you mean ‘handing out candy?’ You’re not taking her trick-or-treating?”

“Quinn, she only has two teeth.” He completely ignores my protests about the costume.

“Almost three and that’s not the point. She would have so much fun.”

He makes a beeline toward the cash register before I can continue to try and talk him out of buying it. “I guess I could walk her around the neighborhood once,” he relents, pulling his credit card from the slot in his wallet to pay for this monstrosity. “If you’ll come with us.”

He doesn’t look at me as he says the words, and I am thrown off balance. I open my mouth to respond, but close it again as I try to formulate a response. I am really overthinking this. I am Sienna’s nanny. Surely it’s not weird for me to be involved in a milestone for her, like her first trick-or-treat?

The broken parts of me often long to be wanted by someone, and it’s very frustrating that the most recent someone happens to be Jack, who I should not have these kinds of feelings about for so, so many reasons.

I try really hard to hide my distaste with his purchase because the lady behind the counter is not on my side. “Such a cute choice. Your baby is going to be absolutely adorable.”

It takes my brain a second to realize that Jack has disappeared to somewhere else and she’s talking to me. “Oh I’m not?—”

“She is , isn’t she?” Jack interrupts, popping back up beside me, nearly causing me to jump out of my skin. “We’re going as Ariel and King Triton,” he announces. The thick glass bottom of a candle clacks against the countertop as he places it there for her to ring up with the costume.

I’m too dumbfounded to form a retort so I force a smile and kiss the top of Sienna’s head instead. I would love to take her trick-or-treating, Jack’s presence and desire to have me there notwithstanding.

“Why not Prince Eric?” the lady asks as he swipes his card.

He does not hesitate with his response. “Oh, I would definitely be her daddy.” He winks and takes the bag as she awkwardly slides it across the counter, speechless.

Just like me.

When we’re back on the sidewalk I finally find my voice. “I don’t remember agreeing to wear a clamshell bra as part of my job duties.”

He snorts a laugh. “You’re telling me you don’t want to see Kronk in a Flounder costume?” That would actually be really cute. “ Or me without a shirt?” He flexes his pecs.

“Oh my god, you’re such a dork.” I slap him playfully on the arm and open the car door to put Sienna back in her seat.

She’s all tuckered out from the short trip, and once she’s all strapped in she’s already nodding off. “Baby girl likes her car seat, doesn’t she?” I let the daddy comment slide because I honestly don’t even know what the fuck to say to that.

“She’s pretty happy just about anywhere.”

I hum thoughtfully. I think the only time I’ve seen her almost cry was a few minutes ago when she wanted me. I rub the top of her head. “I love her so freakin’ much.”

I turn to find Jack’s eyes transfixed on my back. He snaps out of whatever reverie he’s lost in and gives me a lazy smile. “Me too.”