I stifle a laugh. “Performing runs in our family. My brother is a singer.” I don’t want to tell her the band’s name, because it would probably blow her mind.
“Anyone I know?”
So much for not blowing her mind. “Rogan Scott.”
She freezes for a few beats before speaking. “From Numb Knuckles?”
I nod. “That’s the one.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!”
“Nope.” I glance at the dance floor to make sure Kady isn’t up again. She’s not. I open my pictures app and show her pictures of Rogan and Kenna helping Kady set up her new candy-cane-themed dollhouse in her room.
The other mom covers her mouth, then squeals. She turns to three other moms. “You won’t believe this!”
“What?” They focus their attention on her.
“That little girl we were talking about—her uncle is the Rogan Scott from Numb Knuckles!”
They all start gushing like star-struck middle-schoolers.
And this is why I try to avoid telling people who my brother is.
The first mom turns back to me. “Show them the pictures!”
I hand the phone over and let them scroll through the photos and rave about them.
One of the moms turns to me. “Do you have any pictures of them on stage?”
“Of course.” I take my phone back and find pictures from the last Numb Knuckles concert I went to, then hand it over.
Eventually, they hand it back to me and introduce themselves. I try to remember their names but will probably forget before the practice is over. Once they move their discussion to something else, I go back to my textbook, needing to study in every spare moment.
The first mom nudges me. I think her name is Cora. “Kady’s up!”
“Thanks.” I tuck my phone into my purse and focus on the dance floor.
Kady bounces to the line of girls, acting like the three-year-old that she is, then as soon as she takes her place, she stands straight and puts on a serious expression, almost making her seem older than the others.
The teacher gives them instructions I can’t hear, then the girls all dance in unison. They’re perfect for a few steps until one of the tallest ones spins the wrong way. Then a few seconds another girl trips over her own feet and has a hard time getting back into the routine. Nearly every girl stumbles or missteps until only three have done the entire routine the right way, and Kady is one of them.
Once they finish, all the parents clap and cheer. Some have frowns or barely tap their hands together. I clap for all of them, not just Kady, because they’re all trying and shouldn’t feel pressure at their age. It’s all about having fun and learning, except I can tell by the expressions on some of the mom’s faces that they’re not here just to see their kids having a good time.
Cora turns to me. “Kady has that routine down! Great job.”
“It isn’t really anything I did. She loves to practice any chance she gets.”
“She definitely has talent, that one. Don’t be surprised if she gets an exclusive invite soon.”
I arch a brow. “Invite? For what?”
“I’m not at liberty to say. Just don’t be surprised. And at three, no less. I don’t think that’s ever happened before, but I can’t see it not in this case.”
My curiosity is getting the better of me, but I keep from asking more. I’ll get all the answers if Kady gets the invitation. If she doesn’t, she’ll just keep with the lessons, enjoying every moment. I don’t want to get obsessed with this, and even if I did, I have so many other things on my plate. The last thing I need to worry about is something that may or may not happen.
I start to go back to my textbook, but the teacher calls up Kady and the other girls who performed the routine without a flaw. She wants them to show the other girls how it’s done.
They go through the dance again, and as they do, their teacher points out what they’re doing right. Each girl gives a flawless performance, right up to the end.
Then Kady falls. She doesn’t trip over anything. Nobody bumps into her. She just crashes to the ground. Several of the parents around me gasp. I hold myself from jumping up, not wanting to overreact. I’m about ready to make my way over to Kady when she doesn’t get up right away. But then she stands, dusts herself off, and completes what she missed.
I breathe a sigh of relief. Could she be feeling too much pressure? Is being in the older class too much? Or was it just a stumble, like the other girls, and I’m starting to make too big of a deal about it?
The teacher has Kady and the other two girls help the others as they practice the routine. I watch Kady for a few minutes to make sure she’s okay, then I go back to my studies.
I keep thinking about her fall, though. It’s distracting, and I can’t focus on my homework. I glance over at her again, and she’s giggling with another girl as she shows her an impressive spin.
She’s fine. I’m just overreacting. I need to let it go. Kids fall. It happens. She should probably be making more mistakes than any of the other kids, not showing them how it’s done.
I scold myself for turning into a helicopter parent, then manage to focus on my work until the practice is over. The moms who were gushing over Rogan praise Kady for her dancing, then I gather her things and we leave.
“You did really good, honey.” I buckle her into her car seat.
“But I fell.”
I kiss her cheek. “It happens to everyone.”
She frowns. “But not me.”
“Trust me, everyone makes mistakes once in a while.”
“I’m going to practice more. Lots more.”
“If that’s what you want to do.” I close her door and get into the driver’s seat then start the car. “But don’t forget to play and have fun. You have that huge new dollhouse.”
“I’m not going to only dance, silly.” She makes a goofy face at me in the rearview mirror.
“Good. I’m glad to hear it.” I pull out of the parking spot.
“Where am I going after this?”
“You get to visit Grandma and Grandpa Steyn.”
“Goody! They always tell me fun stories about Daddy Kade. And Auntie Emma always plays hide and seek with me.”
My heart warms. I’m so glad they bring Kade to life for her. To Kady, he’s as real as anyone else even though she never got to meet him. And his parents light up whenever they see her. She has brought a lot of healing to those of us with broken hearts over her father.
“Do you have a favorite Daddy Kade story?” I ask.
“Hmm…” She pauses. “There are so many! I love the stories about when he was my age. He was brave, learning how to use a pocketknife and start campfires.”
“Wow, I didn’t know that.” I shudder at the thought of Kady doing those things. I’m glad she has no interest.
“When can I learn to use a pocketknife, Mommy?”
So much for that. “We’ll talk about it, okay?”
“You know what else I like?”
“What’s that?” I stop at a traffic light.
“They let me play in his room sometimes. Only when they’re there—not that I’d break anything.”
“Of course you wouldn’t.”
We talk about Kade for the rest of the short ride to his house. I still think of it as his house. It’s hard not to. It always was his house to me.
I give Kady a big hug and kiss when I drop her off. She scampers off, calling for her Auntie Emma.
Mrs. Steyn pokes her head out from the kitchen. “How long do we get to keep her tonight?”
“I have so much homework, it can be as late as you want. Just call me when you’re ready.”
“Any chance she can spend the night? I could really use some extra Kady time today.” She frowns, her stress lines prominent. I think she’s had the hardest time letting go of Kade out of any of us, and some days she seems as broken as the day of the accident.
I give her a tight hug. “She’d love to spend the
night, and I could use the extra time to squeeze in some more studying.”
She squeezes me back. “Thanks, Sutton.”
“No, thank you. I was wondering how I would get everything done.”
Mrs. Steyn throws me a grateful smile as I leave.
As I close the door, Anchor’s car pulls into the driveway next door. My heart skips a beat at the timing. We weren’t going to see each other at all today between my studies and his work and night classes.
He climbs out of the car, sporting dirt-caked clothes and messy hair. In other words, irresistible.
I run past my car and over the lawn between the two homes.
Anchor turns and sees me just before I crash into him with arms open for a hug. His eyes widen, then he smiles and wraps his arms around me. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”
“So are you.” I grin like a fool.
He steps back. “I’m getting you dirty.”
“And I don’t care.” I press myself against him and kiss him. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I haven’t stopped thinking about you all day.” Anchor runs his fingers through the length of my hair. “I wish I could stay, but I have to get inside to change, then race to class.”
“I know. I just couldn’t resist coming over.”
“I’m glad you did.” He kisses me deeply, setting my heart on fire. “That’ll have to hold us until lunch tomorrow.”
“You’ll be able to make lunch?”
He nods. “I made sure of it.”
I give him a quick hug. “I don’t want to let you go, but I know I have to. You have class and I have too much studying.”
“Just another year.”
One year sounds like a lifetime away.
Anchor
I bolt upright, throwing off my covers and gasp for air. My bedroom is light, and I don’t know what day it is. Am I supposed to be at work already? Or should I be studying?
Why don’t I know what’s going on? My alarm should’ve woken me. What woke me?
Gasping for air, I knock things over on my headboard, trying to find my phone. I get it and stare at it. It’s ten-thirty in the morning. If this is a work day, I’m sunk. Dad’s harder on me than anyone else. Nobody could ever accuse him of playing favorites. Not with me, anyway.
I look for the day. Saturday. It’s not one of the Saturdays that I work, is it? Dad’s not in here yelling at me, so I’m probably good.
Then I remember studying late into the night after my classes. I actually have the morning free. I’d planned on sleeping in.
Relief washes through me.
I wish I could spend my free time with Sutton, but she has a study group all morning. It might even go well into the afternoon. Final exams are coming up, and she’s worried about two of her classes. She’ll do great—she always does. But she won’t believe it until she sees her grade after the fact.
Part of me wants to go back to sleep, but I really should study. If I can get enough done, then maybe Sutton and I can squeeze in some time together when she gets home.
My stomach rumbles. I should eat first. Then I can focus on my homework. Coffee would help. Definitely need caffeine.
I stumble out of bed, pull on an old rock band t-shirt, then make my way downstairs. The aromas of maple syrup and bacon greet me.
Sometimes I love living with my parents. If I was on my own, I would never wake up to this.
“Daddy!” Kady jumps up from the table, her eyes wide.
I had no idea she was supposed to be here this morning, but I’m glad she is. She throws herself at me, and I pick her up and swing her around. “What a pleasant surprise!”
She giggles and nestles her head against my neck.
Mom looks over at me and smiles. “Hank had a family emergency, so he and Rori dropped off Kady about an hour ago.”
I squeeze Kady. She smells like peanut butter and syrup—her favorite toppings for pancakes. “Our gain.”
She pulls back and beams. “Uncle Linc said he’d take me to the park!”
“Maybe I’ll have to join you.”
“Yay!” She squeezes my neck, then squirms to get down and settles back into her spot at the table.
I pile a plate high with pancakes and bacon, then make myself a strong cup of coffee.
Kady’s eyes become huge as she stares at my plate. “Are you gonna eat all that?”
“Yep, and probably have seconds.”
Her mouth drops open.
Mom fills Kady’s cup with orange juice. “I think he’s still growing.”
Kady’s brows come together. “But you’re already a grownup.”
I laugh. “Hasn’t stopped my appetite.”
Kady fills me in on her week as we eat—everything from girl drama at preschool to how she’s been decorating her dollhouse to a new dance routine she’s learning for an upcoming recital. It kind of makes my head spin, but I do my best to keep up.
After eating, I kiss the top of Kady’s head. “I have to study for an exam, but come and get me before you go to the park, okay? I want to join you.”
“I will!” She grins, then wipes peanut butter from her mouth, spreading it across her face and even getting it in her hair.
I cringe, thinking of how much work it’s going to take to clean her up. “Come on, let’s wash you up.”
Mom spins around from the sink and looks at Kady’s face. “Oh, dear.” She looks like she’s holding back a smile. “Come over here, sweetie.”
“I can do it,” I say.
“It’s fine, hon. You have to study.”
“That’s true.” I ruffle Kady’s hair. “Don’t forget to grab me before you and Uncle Linc go to the park.”
She beams. “I won’t!”
I hate to head back upstairs, but I do. Just another year until my weekends will be mine. Then I can do what I want—spend all day at a park with Sutton and Kady if the weather allows. Or to the beach in the warm weather. Anything with the two of them is better than studying and worrying about grades after working so many long hours at the construction site. Foreman or not, I spend a lot of time doing hard labor.
What would be ideal would be to work in the office, where I could study during downtime, but Dad doesn’t see it that way. I can’t really complain, though. They pay for most of my schooling and only ask for me to kick in a little for groceries and utilities. That was how I was able to save up for the engagement ring I plan to give Sutton after graduation. And by that time, I should have enough to put toward a wedding and a down payment on a house. The sacrifices now will pay off later when Sutton and I are married and Kady lives with us.
I close my bedroom and change once I realize my shirt and pants are covered in Kady’s peanut butter. Then I dig out the diamond engagement ring and stare at it, imagining for the five-hundredth time what I’ll say when I give it to Sutton.
Reluctantly, I put it away and bring out my laptop. It’s tempting to check email or social media, but I know that no good will come from that. It’ll be too easy to lose an hour or two of studying time. I want to go to the park with Linc and Kady, then later I want to see the woman I love.
Sacrifice now, payoff later.
Sometimes being responsible sucks. I want to take Kady, drive to the library, then pull Sutton from her group and just spend the day with my two favorite people.
Later.
Time drags on as I study. The sun streams through my blinds, practically calling my name.
I sit on my bed and turn my back to it. The words on the screen all run together. I blink my eyes a few times and manage to read a few dull-as-dirt paragraphs.
Knock, knock! Knock-knock-knock!
That can only be Kady. I leap from my bed and fling open the door.
She stands there with a huge grin. “We’re going to the park now! Come on!”
“Great timing, kiddo.”
Kady slides her little hand into mine and pulls me down the stairs.
Lincoln is waiting for us by the d
oor, wearing his varsity jacket. “Ready?”
“After all this studying? You know it.”
Kady and I get our coats on, then she takes my hand again and we all stroll to the park, which is only a few blocks away. She pulls away from me and chases my brother to the monkey bars. The two of them work their way through everything like it’s a relay race. I laugh and enjoy watching them, too tired to jump in. I sound old. I feel old.
Then it hits me—how much I need a break. I can’t keep going like this, falling asleep every night before my head hits the pillow. Going from one thing to the next without a break. I go from early in the morning to late at night every single day, unless I can manage to sleep in on the weekends. Maybe what I need is to take a “vacation” from work until finals are over. I should have some time built up. I’ll have to ask Dad.
“Are you just going to watch?” Lincoln calls. “Or are you an old man now?”
A little energy surges through me. I run toward the swings where they are, jump on one, then start pumping.
“Go, Daddy!” Kady squeals.
In almost no time, I’m flying through the air, sailing higher than both of them.
“That’s what I’m talking about.” Lincoln grins. “You think you’re up for a race around the whole park?” He turns to Kady. “Think he can handle it?”
“Yeah!”
After we get off the swings, they explain to me the order of the course.
“You guys do this often?” It saddens me that I don’t know. I definitely need to ask my Dad about some time off for finals.
“Yeah.” Kady gives Lincoln a high-five. “It’s our thing. But you can join us. Ready?”
I get in position to run. “I was born ready.”
She giggles then counts down from ten. At one, we all run for the first climber. Lincoln slows to give Kady the advantage, then I stand back for a second. My brother and I race each other while letting Kady stay in the lead.
At the end, she falls to the ground. “I won again!”
“You’re too fast for us.” I plop down next to her.
“Now I’m hungry.” She rubs her stomach.
“Sounds like a medical emergency.” I swing her up over my shoulder and march toward the house.
The Only Things You Can Take (Wildflower Romance #2) Page 11
