“Is he the same friend I met at your work, Mama?” she asked as she followed me down the stairs, clutching a packet of Doritos.
“Yes, Jonah,” I said. “He’s also the person who sent you your toy Olaf.”
Just as we walked through the building’s main front doors, Evie squealed, “I love Olaf!”
Jonah was waiting by the sidewalk. His car had disappeared, the driver possibly circling to find a spot to park.
His gaze immediately landed on me as we walked out, and I noticed a shift in his expression. He looked happier, as if he’d picked up on the eagerness in my own face and took it as a good sign.
Lately, I’d thought I was getting good at reading Jonah, but apparently he was reading me just as well. If we kept running into each other like this, we’d soon be reading each other’s minds without a word, and that thought was... terrifying.
He turned his attention to Evie.
“Hi, Evie,” Jonah said to her gently.
The knot of anxiety in my stomach eased a little when Evie smiled back at Jonah. “I remember you! Thank you for giving me Olaf.”
“You’re welcome,” Jonah said, a little stiffly. Like he was out of touch with how to talk to young children.
“Mama,” Evie said as she looked up at me, not troubled by Jonah’s awkwardness. “Can we take Jonah to the playground today?”
I caught Jonah’s eye, and watched his face completely transform with a broad smile.
I looked down at Evie and nodded. “That sounds like a great idea.”
Jonah looked totallyout of place in his three-piece suit at this playground, where parents wore jeans and kids had messyclothes and pigtails. His silk gray tie shimmered in the evening light. But the happiness on his face was genuine.
“Can I go on the swing, Mama?” Evie asked.
“Yes, sweetie,” I told her, tearing my eyes away from Jonah to smile at her.
Evie grabbed Jonah’s hand. “Push me on the swing,” she said, pulling him toward it.
They walked up to the swings, where Evie turned to Jonah, hands raised, asking him to pick her up and place her on the swing. Jonah obliged, holding her stiffly while I stifled a laugh.
“Don’t laugh,” he said under his breath as he pushed Evie.
“I wasn’t,” I lied, but the laugh spilled out anyway.
“Liar, liar,” he taunted, pushing Evie again gently.
“Higher!” she shrieked. “This isn’t high enough.”
“Higher,” I agreed when Jonah gave me a questioning look.
“Seriously?” he asked, but he pushed Evie a tad bit higher. She barely went an inch further.
She giggled and kicked her legs impatiently. “Even higher!”
“Here,” I said, taking over. “I’ll do it.”
“No, no. I want Jonah to push me,” Evie insisted.
Jonah edged closer to me, his suit-clad arm brushing against mine. Evie couldn’t turn around completely to confirm.
“I’m still pushing,” he insisted, his fingers reaching for mine.
All breath left my body at his touch. My awareness of him heightened, especially since he turned his head toward mine, his warm breath reaching my forehead. My eyes fluttered shut for a moment as I relaxed, leaning into his grasp. I let him hold my hand while pushing Evie with the other.
