I reach for my water bottle, the cool plastic grounding me as I take a sip. “Because she sees your dad when she looks at me. And she sees herself when she looks at you. That’s the only thing that makes sense.”
Her lips part like she wants to argue, but instead she just exhales, her gaze flicking to me through the screen. There’s apology there, and sadness, and something else I can’t quite name.
For a while, we just look at each other. She rests her chin on her knees, and her damp hair clings to her cheeks. I want to reach through the screen and tuck it behind her ear.
“You’re staring,” she says softly, half a tease.
“Yeah. I can’t help it,” I admit. “You look... perfect right now.”
Her face flushes, and she hides it behind her knees. “I look like a drowned rat.”
“You could wear a paper bag and you’d still be the most beautiful girl in the world.”
She presses her lips together, blinking fast, and I can tell she’s trying not to let the tears win. Then she sighs, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance. “You’re too good at this, Vincent.”
“Too good at loving you?” I smirk.
She bites her lip, cheeks pink, and mutters, “Yeah. That.”
A faint meow interrupts the moment. Nova freezes, then glances down at the bed. “Missing Dad, huh?” she teases with a small laugh.
The meow grows louder, more insistent. A second later, a tuft of soft fur appears at the bottom of her screen. Roxy, our little tabby kitten, climbs into view, tail flicking. She steps confidently onto Nova’s stomach, turns twice, and collapses in a dramatic sprawl like she owns the place.
The sight makes me laugh out loud. “Look who decided to make an appearance.”
Roxy lifts her tiny head, her eyes locked on me through the webcam, and she lets out another, louder meow.
“Yeah, yeah, I miss you too, princess,” I chuckle, leaning closer to the screen like that could close the distance between us.
Nova bursts into laughter, scooping the kitten up in her arms. Roxy paws at the laptop, pressing her tiny paw right against my face on the screen. “She’s obsessed with you,” Nova says through her giggles. “I don’t know if she misses you more... or if I do.”
The laughter fades into a softness that makes my throat tight. Her voice is quieter now, more fragile. “I just wish time would pass faster.”
My chest constricts. “Me too, baby. If I could, I’d skip through every single day until I was back there with you. Until I could kiss you for real instead of just talking to a screen.”
Her breath hitches, and she smiles, small but so full of light it nearly undoes me. “You’re gonna ruin me, Vincent Cooper.”
Before I can answer, there’s a knock at her bedroom door.
“Come in!” she calls, not taking her eyes off me.
The door creaks open, and then I hear Steven’s voice: “You still on the phone with him?”
Nova’s whole face lights up. She waves him over, patting the space beside her. “Yeah. Come here.”
A moment later, Steven steps into the frame, hair tousled, looking like he just rolled out of a nap or a shift at the bakery. He drops onto the bed beside her, his arm brushing hers, and gives me a lopsided grin. “Hey, V. Everything good?”
“Hey,” I say, managing a smile. “As good as it gets, I guess. You?”
He shrugs, leaning one elbow on his knee. “Can’t complain. We were about to pick a movie before you called. She wantedTwilightagain, and of course Maggie’s always on her side. And since Sam’s always on Maggie’s side, that means they’re both on Nova’s side and Will has a crush for Alice and Jasper Cullen. Which leaves me stuck watchingTwilightfor the seventieth time.”
Nova smirks, bumping his shoulder with hers. “At least Holly’s on your side, right?”
Steven rolls his eyes. “Only because Holly lovesStar Warsand wanted that instead.”
Nova narrows her eyes at him, then smirks. “You know what? Holly actually looks a little like Padmé. Don’t you think?”
Steven freezes for half a second, clearly caught off guard, before he nods slowly. “...Okay, yeah. True.”
