A slight smile curls her lips, but it’s gone just as fast. I hesitate a moment, but I open the book to the first page, where Mr. Mouseling is working on a story for the Mouseland Gazette. I start to read when Dove interrupts me.
“Angelina looks just like Mr. Mouseling. Except for his glasses.” She puts her little finger on his face, and my throat tightens.
“It’s true. They look alike, except Angelina’s a girl.”
Her round eyes meet mine. “Ms. Moody called you my daddy, but Mamma said you’re Uncle Sawyer’s Marine friend.”
Closing the book, I shift in my seat, doing my best to swallow the hard lump in my throat. “It’s true.”
She blinks a few times as if waiting for me to say more. Only, I’m not sure what to say. I want to call her mom to come help, but I don’t want to lose her trust.
“Uncle Sawyer was always here.”
She doesn’t say it, but I feel her question. Where was I?
I push my hair back and lean forward, getting closer to her level. “Remember that time when we were talking about princes and pretending?”
“Prince Phillip?” Her brow furrows, and she looks up at me. “Were you trapped in a dungeon?”
Sliding my hand over my mouth, I think about the right thing to say. “Not exactly… I was really sick for a long time. I got hurt when I was with your Uncle Sawyer, and I didn’t take care of myself.”
“Is that why you limp sometimes?”
My eyebrows rise. “Yeah. I didn’t know you knew that.”
She nods, her round eyes solemn. “When are you going away again?”
“Who said I was going away?”
“Uncle Leon asked Uncle Sawyer. He wanted to know what happened when you left again.”
Pain twists in my chest, and I realize she’s been thinking about this all day. Sitting up, I inhale deeply. “Is it okay if I hold you?”
The corners of her mouth turn down, but she nods. I pick her up and hug her to my chest. Her little face presses into my neck, and I feel her breath hiccup. Something inside me breaks, and my eyes heat.
“I didn’t know you were here when I came to help your Uncle Sawyer.” Clearing my throat, I smooth my hand up and down her back. “Now that I’ve met you, I’d really like to stay with you.”
She puts a hand on my shoulder and sits back. When our eyes meet mine, hers are pooling with tears. “Will you stay in the cottage?”
“I will for now. If that’s okay?”
Her lips p
ress together and she nods quickly. “And we can make hoecakes and read bedtime stories?”
“As long as you want.”
“I think that would be okay.” She looks up at me, and the corners of her lips slowly start to rise.
I can’t resist asking. “You don’t mind that I’m not a prince?”
She tilts her head to the side and thinks about it, and I’m almost sorry I asked. “You said you were a hero?”
A slight wince, and I confess the truth. “I wanted to be a hero.”
Settling into my side, she picks up the book and opens it again. “You’ve got time.”
“I’ve got time.” I give her a little poke in the ribs and she squeals a laugh.