He smiled at the update. "So you better finish up with your inspection so I can see you off at the curb before I go to pick up Ruth at her door."
Katie gave him a wink. "Yes, sir, Daddy, sir!"
She looked down at her list. "I only have two more things."
Nick chuckled softly. "What's the first one?"
"Do you have your wallet, cash and credit cards?" He opened his mouth to reply but she continued, gesturing at him. "No making her pay for the whole thing."
He took one hand away from the bouquet and put it over his heart. "I promise that she won't pay for a thing."
Katie nodded solemnly. "Good. Good."
Then she checked off the item and tapped her pen against the side of her rainbow striped clipboard. "Last thing." She looked up at him, and he was reminded of how much Katie looked like her mother. "If you're planning to go in for a kiss-"
Her words staggered him. "What?"
"You better have good breath, Dad. So..." she reached into her pocket and handed him a small tin of breath mints. "Take this you and if you get a chance to... you know... lay one on her, make sure you pop a few of this first, okay?"
Nick wasn't sure how to react to his daughter giving him tips on dating. Or her use of the phrase 'lay one on her.'
He wanted to ask his daughter just how old she was.
She seemed to be hiding a Baby Boomer somewhere in that little body.
Katie's phone trilled in her pocket and she looked down, checking off the final box on her checklist. "Okay, that's Dana. I'm going to head out and stuff my face with pizza."
Nick set the bouquet of flowers down on the coffee table and reached into his pocket, pulling out his wallet.
He walked beside his daughter to the door and just before she ran off to join her friend, she reached up to one of the hooks on the wall. She picked up her purse.
"Katie. Here." He handed her a twenty and a couple of tens. "Please give this money to Dana's mom for the pizza and movie, okay?"
She nodded and then crooked her finger at him.
He leaned in and whispered to her. "What now?"
Katie rose up on the toes of her sneakers like she did in her pointe shoes and gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose. "Have a good night with whatever you have planned. Just make sureyou remember to be good to her. She's awesome, dad. And you deserve awesome!"
Before he could say anything, Katie bounded down the front walk to the curb.
Just before she reached the curb, the back door of the car swung open and Dana bolted from the car to wrap Katie up in a hug that might be strong enough to crack a few ribs, but seeing how Katie returned it made him smile. Things were different for kids than adults.
Katie and Dana did a little squealing before they climbed into the back of the car together.
Dana's mom, in the driver's seat waved at him through the open passenger window. "Thanks for lending us Katie, Nick! I'm sure they're going to run me ragged tonight!"
His shoulders shook with laughter. "I'll return the favor some time, Jill!"
The car pulled away from the curb, and he went back inside to lock up. He left the outside porch lights on and picked up the flowers he was going to give Ruth. Then he did a quick pat down to confirm he had his wallet, car keys, and yes, his breath mints.
And with that, he was out the door, sweating bullets.
When they arrived at the restaurant, he was still sneaking looks at Ruth. When he opened the door and held it for her. When they got to the table and he held out her chair.
By the time the waiter came over to take their order, he knew he was a goner.
He hadn't even looked at the menu.
