“Can I sleep with her?”
I growl, and he darts out the door, laughing all the way to his car.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, pumpkin?” I look down at Emma.
“Is Nowa here yet?”
“Not yet, but she will be soon. Let’s go make sure everything is ready for her.”
Emma’s eyes light up. “I picked her some fowers. Can we put dem in her woom?”
“Of course we can.”
Emma thrusts a handful of flowers at me that she picked from the yard. I put them in a small vase and hand them back to her.
“Don’t drop it.”
“I won’t.”
“Come on, Henry.”
He pushes up from his spot on the floor, drops his blocks, and toddles after us.
“Jack, do you want to come with us to the loft?”
He flies down the hall and looks around. “Is Nora here?”
“Not yet, but she should be here any minute. We’re going to check the loft one last time. Wanna come?”
His face falls, and he shrugs. “Sure.”
The kids race out of the house and up the stairs at the side of the detached garage. They fling open the door and run inside.
“Do not make a mess,” I yell after them.
“We won’t!”
“How does dis wook?” Emma does a Vanna White wave to showcase the flowers sitting on the small counter.
“Wonderful.”
“Do you fink she’ll wike it?”
“I love it!”
We all turn when Nora walks into the room. Emma flies across the floor and launches herself at her.
“Did you pick those for me?” Nora asks, squatting down.
“Dis morning.”
“They’re so pretty. Thank you!” She hugs Emma and looks up at Jack. “Hey you.”
His cheeks turn pink, and he looks at his shoes. Uh-oh… I think it’s safe to say my little dude has a crush.
Me too, bud.