He grinned, pushing the cart down the aisle at a slow jog. Amberleigh squealed with glee, her little eyes shut and her head tilted back. Until they rounded a corner and came to a screeching halt a few feet from an old woman pushing her cart.
The old woman scowled and kept on going, moving at a snail’s pace.
“That was some look,” he said to Amberleigh. “Think we’re in trouble?”
Amberleigh nodded. “Scary fairy.”
Brody burst out laughing at the comparison of the old lady and the mean fairy in their coloring books. “Pretty close, Amberleigh. Pretty close.”
He stopped in the office, talked to Willie and let Amber
leigh ride on the coin-operated horse by the ice-cream section.
“Like Bear, Daddy.” His daughter smiled. “Giddy-up, horsey.”
“Don’t let him get away from you.” He winked at her.
Her hold tightened on her reins. “Whoa.”
“Good job.” He nodded. His father had purchased ponies for the girls, but only Amberleigh had been interested. Marilyn had refused. Suellen was more interested in petting it and sneaking the pony carrots and apples. He knew they were fraternal triplets, but he’d never expected the girls to be so different.
Not that he’d have it any other way.
“All done.” She reached for him, laughing when he swung her around and deposited her back into the cart.
“Time to get some shopping done.” He set off again.
He turned shopping into a game, sneaking around corners and dodging all the other carts. All it took was his daughter’s laugh to keep him going. He figured her sisters talked so much Amberleigh didn’t feel the need to join in. Hearing her talk was a rare treat.
They loaded the groceries into the truck. But the sight of India disappearing inside Antiques and Treasures made him pause.
* * *
INDIA HIT ENTER on the computer keyboard. Nothing. The prompt popped up again, so she reentered the access code—rechecking each keystroke before moving on. If it took the entire hour she had before Cal got out of school, so be it. She could do this. She would do it. She hit Enter again.
“Come on,” she said, frowning at the computer screen. “Please.”
“Pretty sure manners won’t make much of a difference,” Brody said from the doorway, startling her so that she knocked her bottle of water from the desk and into her lap. “Damn, India, I’m so sorry.” He was across the room in an instant, offering his handkerchief.
“It was an accident,” she said, pushing out of her chair. “There wasn’t much left anyway. It was...refreshing. And cold.”
He shook his head, eyeing her pants.
“It’s okay,” she assured him, resting her hand on his arm. “It’s water. Not a national security crisis. Or a stupid software problem.”
His hand covered hers. “I might be able to help with the computer. Make up for dousing you with cold water?”
His hand was warm. His arm was warm. Even the look in his tawny gaze was warm. And it washed over her, from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. A peculiar tightening settled deep in her stomach.
“Will it get me out of the doghouse?” he asked.
She swallowed. “If you’re offering to help me not throw this piece of junk into the trash, I’m not going to complain about getting a little water on my pants.” She glanced down at her pants. “Okay, more than a little water.”
Brody chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
India wasn’t sure what was happening, but it was good. All the warmth and the touching and the smiling... She should let go of him.
“Let me see what I can do,” he offered, moving toward the computer—and taking his warmth with him.