That was saying a lot considering the steady stream of kids that had come to the door in the last hour alone.
Penelope couldn’t contain her excitement, her pigtail braids bouncing as she jumped up and down. Three pieces of candy flew out of her plastic jack-o-lantern bucket. “I’m a pirate! Surrender da booty, me hearties! Argh!”
Laughter burst from Hallie’s gut, and she glanced at Christian’s wide grin from behind the girls. “Did you tell her to say that?”
“I may have taught her a few phrases.” He puffed out his chest as only a proud father could.
“You’re the cutest pirate ever.” Hallie tugged one of Penelope’s braids. “You’ll have no trouble pilfering treasure from anyone.”
“If she could only keep it in her bucket instead of eating it all, she’d be golden.” He bent to pick up the candies, dropping them back into Penelope’s pumpkin.
Hallie took in the sticky blue substance streaked across the child’s cheeks. “I can definitely tell she’s been enjoying her splendors.” Her attention switched to Isla in her sleeveless leotard and leggings. “And wow, Isla. You really look like a zombie gymnast. How’d you make it look so creepy and gross?”
“Grandma did my makeup,” Isla said as Hallie gently touched a finger to the lumpy spot on her grayish face.
“It’s putty,” Christian clarified.
“I love it, Isla. Very spooky.” Hallie turned toward the living roomwhere McKenzie was reading a book on the couch. “Zee, come look at this.” Moving aside to make space for her roommate in the doorway, she picked up the bowl of candy from the floor.
McKenzie’s delight was understated—much like everything about her—but obvious. “You deserve an extra piece of candy.” She dropped a chocolate bar into Isla’s bucket. “Actually, take a handful.”
“Zee’s a gymnast,” Hallie said while handing Penelope two peanut butter cups to place in her bucket.
The stars entering Isla’s eyes rendered the explanation unnecessary. She stared shyly up at McKenzie. “You’re my favorite from the Global Elites.”
That brought a sincere smile to McKenzie’s face. “Aww, thank you. What’s your name?”
Hallie introduced both Isla and Penelope. True to her sweet nature, McKenzie stepped onto the porch and crouched in front of the older child. “Are you a gymnast too, Isla?”
Isla shook her head. “I want to be someday though.”
“I think you’d make an awesome one,” McKenzie said. “How old are you?”
“I turned six two days ago.”
Hallie’s heart pricked at the mention of that difficult day. Isla hadn’t brought up the disastrous party in the two days since, and Hallie knew for a fact that Christian had shoved the cake into the back of the freezer until the sting had worn off. Hopefully, this interaction with her favorite athlete wouldn’t be tainted by talk of her birthday.
“Happy birthday,” McKenzie said kindly. She glanced up at Christian. “I teach a beginning class of six-year-olds at SoCal Elite. If you’re ever interested in signing her up, I can give you the information for the next session. I teach a class for Penelope’s age group too.”
“Please, Daddy?” Isla pleaded, giving her father a very good impression of puppy dog eyes. “Can I take lessons?”
For a minute, Hallie expected him to refuse. A month ago, she would’ve interpreted his hesitancy as disapproval. But now she knewit stemmed more from his lack of trust in people, even if he didn’t realize it for what it was.
“That would be great,” he said to McKenzie. “You can pass it along through Hallie.”
“I’ll do that.” She glanced at her phone buzzing in her hand. “It’s Mitch. I’m going to take this.” She smiled at Isla one last time. “It was great meeting you. I hope I’ll see you in my class very soon.”
Once she’d disappeared back into the house, Hallie stepped onto the porch with Christian and the girls.
“I’m glad you stopped by,” she said to Isla and Penelope. “I missed you both so much today.”
She’d spent all day baking for the Hawthornes’ party tonight, preventing her from watching the girls after school. It surprised her how quickly she’d grown accustomed to having them with her in the afternoons. Not seeing them, even for a day, felt off. Like something was … missing.
She didn’t have time to contemplate too much on what that meant right now. She had a party to cater.
“We wanted to catch you before you left,” Christian said. “I’m sorry I can’t be there to help set up.”
Could he get any sweeter? His constant encouragement had provided the boon Hallie needed to keep pursuing her dream. And today, he’d even burned one of his sacred vacation days to help her take care of last-minute preparations while the girls were in school.
