I smile as I cross the living room and head out the front door. Ellery immediately starts grilling Hailey about why she was late tonight, but Hailey just laughs and says there was a late drop-off at the animal shelter she runs.
I hurry out the front door before I hear the rest. I doubt Ellery will let it go, but I’m more interested in seeing my daughter.
Asher is waiting for me on the front porch, once again dressed like he’s ready for a workout in a loose tank and shorts over leggings. He could have been dressed like this for work, a workout, or for the bouncy house. Knowing him, he did more bouncing than Harper did.
Technically, adults aren’t allowed to bounce, but my brother has a way of charming people into relaxing the rules. “I figured she’d be more likely to stay asleep if you took her out of her car seat,” Asher says.
“Probably. How’d it go?” I ask as we start down my front stairs.
“Amazing,” Asher says with the happiest energy. “Harper went down the biggest slide all by herself.”
“Aw, good for her.” There’s a twinge of regret that I missed it, but Harper will show me the next time I’m there.
“Clover got every second on video,” Asher says. I’m so grateful I have a village to rely on.
“Thank you, Clover,” I say.
My sister-in-law is leaning against the car next to Harper’s open door. Clover is dressed more sensibly, in cute jeans and a cropped sweater, her thick, dark hair in a French braid.
“You’re welcome,” Clover whispers back with a warm smile. I’ve truly lucked out in the sister-in-law department. She and my brother have only been together for a couple of years, but I already consider her a close friend.
Slowly, I lower myself into the car and unstrap Harper as slowly and soundlessly as I can manage. My heart swells at the sleepy, sugary scent of her. Asher always gives in to her requests for candy and cookies when she’s with him. And Clover’s even more of a pushover.
Harper’s curls are flat from the way she’s been sleeping on them, and her face is pink and just a bit sweaty at her hairline.
She’s obviously the most adorable, sweetest kid in the entire world.
She doesn’t even flinch when I slide each of her arms free of the car seat straps. Maybe I get a bit overconfident and move too quickly as I lift her, because her eyes pop open and she glares at me like I’m a villain for waking her up.
It only takes a moment for the glare to fade, though, and she smiles at me sleepily. “I went down the biggest slide by myself, Mama.”
“Good job, baby,” I say. “That’s amazing.”
She nods. “I know.”
I wave to Asher and Clover as I carry Harper to the house. Her head drops against my shoulder and she falls back to sleep.
Asher hurries past me and opens the door for me. He kisses my cheek before he jogs back to his wife for an evening of whatever it is married people without kids do. I got married because I was pregnant, so it’s an experience I’ve never had.
And it’s an experience I’ve accepted I never will have. At least not until Harper’s gone off to college.
Harper drifts off repeatedly while I’m helping her into her pajamas, but as soon as I tuck her into bed and lay her head on the pillow, her eyes open wide. “Read to me.”
I swallow my sigh. I look forward to poker night all week, and I was really hoping I’d be able to play more than just one hand. My friends might stick around and wait for me, but it’s more likely they’ll head home before it gets too late.
With a four-year-old who’s typically up by six every morning, I usually start yawning around nine and my card playing goes downhill from there. For that reason, we usually start our poker games at seven and end them by nine.
Of course, tonight, I asked to move the start time back to eight so I could meet with Deacon.
The problem is all me.
And I’m not about to punish Harper for any of it. “Of course, sweetie.”
***
“Everyone left?” I ask when I emerge from Harper’s room half an hour later.
Ellery’s on my living room couch reading a book.
