Your Forever Love (The Bennett Family 3)
Page 69
Julie nods enthusiastically, peering at me. “Can I go, Dad?”
“Sure,” I reply. “But don’t you want to eat some more before?”
“I’ll eat later.” She’s positively glowing.
“Off you go.”
She and Mrs. Bennett leave, joining the kids’ group. I turn my attention to the soccer field next. Pippa is in her element among her family, though right now she’s frowning in concentration. I’d like to say she kicks ass, but her team is losing. She wasn’t kidding; Alice is a pro.
“Logan’s going to be grumpy again if he loses,” Mrs. Bennett comments. I hadn’t noticed she joined me again. “You have a great daughter, Eric. Pippa told me a lot about her. You did a fine job raising this girl on your own.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” I say. Most of the time, I think I’m doing a decent job raising her, but hearing this from a woman who raised nine kids somehow legitimizes my efforts.
We fall into silence for a few minutes, but I can sense I’m about to get a variation of ‘the talk’ from her.
Sure enough, she eventually says, “You have a great influence on my daughter. She’s the Pippa I remember again.”
“What do you mean?”
Mrs. Bennett tightens her lips. “It takes little to make my daughter happy, and a lot to make her miserable. She was unhappy in her marriage. She didn’t say anything for a long time, but I could tell. Now, she glows again. It has something to do with you.”
“Ma’am, the world is a better place when Pippa smiles. If I’m contributing to that, I’m proud.”
To my astonishment, Mrs. Bennett seems on the verge of laughter. “Pippa is right. You are a charmer.”
“I do my best,” I reply with a straight face.
The crowd around us erupts in cheers, signaling the end of the game. Pippa walks straight in to my arms.
“That was fun,” she announces.
“You
do know you lost, right?” I ask as I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her to me.
She shrugs, pushing strands of her hair away from the damp skin on her face. “No one cares—besides Logan and Alice. I like playing. So… I saw you and Mom talking.”
“That’s right.”
“How did it go?”
“She didn’t scare me off, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”
“Of course she didn’t. That’s my brothers’ job. But don’t worry. I’m here to protect you.”
“You are?” I ask, tightening my arms around her.
“Yep. I am Pippa the Protector and Keeper of Secrets.” She announces this with a completely straight face, and I want to kiss this woman senseless.
“You know, monikers aren’t very valuable if you appoint them yourself.”
“What would you call me?” she asks coyly.
“Hmm, let’s see. Pippa the Cupcake Attacker.”
“Shut up.”
“No, wait, I have a better one. Pippa the Cookie Devourer.”