Katie reached around her body and hugged, turning her head so she could rest her cheek on Ruth.
"Miss Baker?"
"Hmm?" Ruth had to find her voice again. "Yes, Katie?"
"I'm so glad you said yes when my dad asked you out."
Me, too. Ruth was able to wrap her arms around Katie.Me, too.
CHAPTER SIX
NICK
Nick found himself feeling like a teenager again. A teen on his way to pick up his date.
For prom.
Standing in the living room, he was waiting for a final inspection under the discerning eye of his daughter.
She'd already approved of the bouquet of flowers he was holding and had made him shine his shoes... a second time.
He'd already done it upstairs in his bedroom, but Katie insisted that his shoes needed to be shining before he left the house.
At some point in her twenty-one-point checklist he had to pass before he left the house, he realized that they were both anxious to make a good impression.
"Katydid?"
Katie's head snapped up so she could meet his gaze.
It had been years since he'd called her by that nickname. Probably since she'd started school.
Definitely since her mom passed away.
"Dad?"
"Are you really okay with this?" He swallowed and felt like he heard the echo of it in his ears. "Me going out with a woman?"
"Just any woman? No." Her lips thinned to a pale line before she nodded. "Miss Baker? Absolutely."
Nick nodded and drew in a breath through his nose. "Okay."
She smiled at him, her whole face transformed. "I think she's awesome."
"I think so, too." He felt a weight fall away from his shoulders. "What about your friend Dana? Is her mom still coming to pick you up?"
He wasn't going to leave her home by herself.
She was a smart young lady with a good head on her shoulders. She didn't fool around or do silly things.
But... she was still a young lady, and he'd feel better if she had someone with her. An adult.
It was just safer.
So Katie's friend, Dana, was going to pick her up from the house. Dana's parents were taking the girls out for pizza and a movie while he was out on his date with Ruth.
It was comforting to know that Katie was going to have a good time.
"Dana texted me to say that they were just a few blocks away."
