Top Dog

“I love you, Daddy,” Lanie said.

“I love you, too, Princess.”

The pizza we had was phenomenal. Everything was made in-house, and all the meat and vegetables were locally-sourced. I ate until I couldn’t eat anymore, and I was concerned that Sarah would have to roll me out of the restaurant. I kept bugging Sarah about what kinds of stories she had told Brian while I was gone, but all they did was grin at me. Every time Sarah struck up a new story I thought I was going to melt into the floor, but it wasn’t until Brian put his hand on my knee that I settled down.

Whatever she told him, it must not have scared him off.

Yet.

The four of us laughed together and waited for our food to settle. It was nice, and it felt natural between all of us. Brian and Sarah bonded over their mutual hatred for reality television while Lanie and I colored with the crayons the pizza place had given us. I was teaching her about letters and colors, seeing how many she could identify before I had to jump in and help. We were there for three hours before we were winding down and ready to leave, so I made sure to leave a really nice tip as Brian picked up the check.

“Brian, I have to go back to the hotel and get my car. Could you drop me off there?” I asked.

“And I’ll have to ride back with you guys so I can get my car. It’s still at Brian’s,” Sarah said.

“Not a problem. We’ll get all the cars to where they need to be,” Brian said.

By the time we got back to my car, Lanie was already sleeping. I told Sarah to ride with me up the mountain, so we could talk, which meant Lanie could stay asleep through the ride home. We got into my car and followed Brian up the mountain, but I could tell there was something on Sarah’s mind.

“What?” I asked.

“What?”

“There’s something on your mind. You keep giving me that look,” I said.

“What look?” Sarah asked.

“The look like you want to say something. Come on. I’ve known you for years. I know when something’s on your mind.”

“You look happy, is all,” she said.

“Uh huh. And that’s it? Just that I look happy?” I asked.

“No. You’re actually happy. You’re not just smiling just to get by. You’re actually happy.”

I grinned as I drew in a deep breath.

“Yeah. I am,” I said.

“Are you two still going through with the marriage thing now that he has custody?” she asked.

“I’m not sure that we have to,” I said.

“I think you should still do it,” Sarah said.

“What?” I asked her, surprised by her comment. “Look, I know it sounds crazy. Trust me, I feel crazy for even mentioning it. But lunch? That shit flowed between the two of you effortlessly. And that niece of his is crazy about you. I can tell he is, too.”

“Really? You think so?” I asked.

“All I’m saying is, there’s no use in shutting a door that hasn’t been opened yet,” she said.

We rode in silence as I pulled up beside her car in front of Brian’s cabin.

“You think he actually has feelings for me?” I asked.

“I think that the two of you should talk about it because you obviously do,” Sarah said.

“Shit,” I said.