“Relax, Ty.” She may have tolerated his overprotective side as a seventeen-year-old, but at twenty-four, she was over it. Shouldn’t she, a full-fledged adult, be trusted to make her own decisions about the men she spent time with? “I’m only here to work on Isla’s cake. You can drop the whole bodyguard visage.”
Her brother’s eyebrows jumped up his forehead. “I’m just watching out for you.”
“Really, it’s fine.” Hallie glanced toward the kitchen to make sure Christian wasn’t about to enter the room. “I haven’t forgotten your warning. And what I told you still stands. I’m not?—”
Thumping footsteps on the staircase behind the couch interrupted her assurances. “Tyler! Tyler!”
Penelope barreled toward them, her wispy brown hair bouncing around her shoulders. Isla walked a few paces behind her. Tyler caught the younger girl right before she collided with his legs.
“Hey, sweet pea!” Tyler kissed the girl’s cheek.
“You stay for dinner, Uncle Tyler?” Penelope asked, her little voice slurring ther’s andl.
He tapped the little girl’s nose with his pointer finger. “Sorry. I have to get dinner on at my own house. I only stopped by to see my two favorite girls.” He squeezed Isla’s shoulder.
The girl tilted her head to the side, studying Hallie. “Are you related to Tyler?”
“He’s my brother.”
“And we’re making my cake today?” she asked, as though that were the only acceptable reason for Hallie to cross into her domain.
“Well…” Hallie attempted to find words to explain her purpose here. “I won’t do the baking today. But I’ve come up with a starting design that I want to show you. Maybe you can help me make it better.”
Isla seemed to accept that answer and walked to the couch. She sat down, lifting her legs into a crisscross position, then looked at Hallie with expectant bossiness.
Okay then. Hallie passed Will off to her brother—who set Penelope down to accept his son—and joined Isla at the couch.
When the three-year-old dragged Tyler up the stairs, chattering about the dolls in her room, Hallie felt the quiet that followed deep in her core. She resisted the urge to drum her fingertips against her thigh as Isla continued to watch her with equal parts curiosity and skepticism.
Where was Christian? How long could it take to put the dog outside? It was one thing to talk to his kids at the Autumn Festival when he’d been right there. He’d guided the interaction, and Hallie knew how to act when there were baked goods involved. Without him, she didn’t know the first thing about children.
Thankfully, Christian reentered the front room then, restoring her breath. A frazzled gleam pierced his eye. “Sorry about that. I had to refill Pumpkin’s water bowl. And then my neighbor stopped by to … chat. Did Tyler leave?”
Hallie didn’t miss the relief that entered his posture at the possibility.I wish.“He’s upstairs with Penelope. I was about to show Isla the sketch I made for her cake.”
Christian sat down next to her. “You came prepared.”
“It’s just an idea.” She slid a file folder from her bag. Inside was a single sheet of paper, which she handed to him. “Anything about it can be changed or adapted to fit what Isla wants.” Turning to the girl,she flashed what she hoped was a friendly smile. “The birthday girl should always get what she wants.”
Some of the wariness left Isla’s face.
“Well, I have to go,” Tyler said, returning from upstairs.
Both Hallie and Christian swiveled in their seats to face him. Sparks zipped across her leg when her knee brushed his.
Tyler had Will in one arm and Penelope in the other, though he set the girl on the floor once they’d reached the downstairs landing. He stopped short, his attention bouncing between Hallie and Christian. She stared back, trying not to appear guilty.
Seriously, she had nothing to feel guilty about. So why was she holding her breath?
Finally, Isla reached over Hallie to snatch the sketch off Christian’s lap. “Can we talk about my cake now?”
That snapped the awkward spell hanging over the adults, and Tyler headed for the door.
“I’ll leave you to it then. But remember, I’m watching you both.” Touching two fingers to his temple, he flicked them forward in a peace sign salute.
Kill. Me. Now.
It was just like her brother to deliver one last warning in the cringiest way possible.
