“Donuts!” Clover cheered, and together, they left the museum to find donuts and a baseball game.
“Run! Run! Run!” Clover jumped up and down so vigorously that his half-eaten hotdog flew out of its bun and smacked Sable right in the chest, staining her pastel purple top a bright yellow from the mustard, but she didn’t seem to notice as the trio cheered for the player racing around the bases. The game had been neck and neck the entire evening, but it was the bottom of the ninth, and this home run would secure the win for the home team. Both Cash and Clover vibrated with excitement, and while Cash had no idea if Sable was a baseball fan, she certainly was as enthusiastic as father and son.
“Faster!” Clover shouted at the field. They’d scored three tickets to a minor league game, and the bases had been loaded when the batter knocked the ball almost out of the park. This grand slam would give the boy the perfect ending to the perfect day, and Cash couldn’t stop himself from chanting alongside his son. Spending the entire afternoon with Sable had almost erased the previous twenty-four hours. It was hard to remember hisdisappointment with her when she made everything safe and joyous. They’d started with donuts, ended up at the park to feed the ducks, and then walked to the stadium where they then filled up on peanuts, hotdogs, and beer—for the adults only, of course. Clover was currently vibrating from a soda sugar high, and it was showing in how excitedly he was cheering.
“Oh my god!” Clover screamed as the batter slid to home plate a second before the outfielder returned the ball. He was safe. The home team had won, and his son was ecstatic.
“Dad! They won! Oh my god, this was the best game ever!” Clover threw himself so hard against Cash that he almost fell backward into his seat. “Thank you for bringing me here. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
“You are most welcome.” Cash returned his son’s hug and smirked at Sable over his head, finally noticing the giant yellow splatter across her chest.
“Oh no,” he teased. “You’ve been hit. Medic!”
“What?” Sable glanced down at her shirt, clasped her palms over the stain, and then collapsed to the stands. “No! I’m too young.” She grabbed Clover’s hands as she died dramatically. “Tell my parents I love them!”
“Death by hotdog.” Cash ruffled his son’s hair. “Maybe next time you should be more careful where you throw your dinner.”
“Sorry, Sable,” Clover giggled.
“Oh look, I’m alive.” She popped up and seized the kid, tickling him until he squealed. “Seems like an apology was the magic cure.” She kissed his head as she stood up. “It’s okay, though. I was just as excited. I think I splashed beer all over my shoes.” She extended her foot for Cash to see, and he smirked at her little show. She was a mess. Beer and mustard and peanut shell dust. It was the perfect combination to make him fall head over heels.
“Yeah, you are filthy,” he said. “I’m not letting you in my car like that. Guess you’ll have to walk home.” He started down the stairs, but a second later, a feminine laugh hit his ears an instant before Sable landed on his back.
“Nice try,” she giggled as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and it was instinct to grab her knees to give her a piggyback out of the stadium. “Now you have mustard on your shirt, too. Guess we’re all walking.”
“Yeah, let’s walk!” Clover shouted as he jogged in circles around them, and for a second, Cash considered it. The boy needed to burn off all that sugar, otherwise he’d be awake all night. “Oh, and can I get another hotdog? Sable ruined mine with her shirt.”
“Sable did?” Cash chuckled. “I guess she should buy this round, then. What do you think? Can you get us three more hotdogs?”
“I don’t know,” she teased. “I’m kind of broke now. I decided to go to a ballgame with some guy instead of winning lots and lots of zeros.”
“You have a point there,” he said, and checking that Clover was both still in sight and too far to hear, he twisted to find Sable’s chin resting on his shoulder. “I’ll buy these hotdogs under one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“You kiss me.”
Sable stilled for a moment, and then she slowly lifted her fingers to his jaw. She guided his lips to hers, and with soft movements, she pressed her mouth against his. This kiss was slow and innocent. There were too many people around—his son included—to enjoy anything more, but the way her lips fit perfectly against his, the way his heart thundered at her barest touch, felt like life being born in his chest.
Cash stared at his phone, debating if he should hit send. It was Easter Sunday, and he’d arrived at the Merveille De L’art early to help with the egg hunt. Every year, the museum held the event outside in the gardens, but that wasn’t why he was hesitant to send this text. That first hunt was open to the public, but asthe afternooncame to a closeand families drifted home to enjoy Easter dinner, the museum hosted a secret and significantly more elaborate hunt for the employees. It was a family event, and the eggs were hidden inside the exhibits. Only they weren’t placed where children could pluck them from their barely disguised resting spots. This was an incredibly competitive competition that hid hundreds of eggs in almost impossible-to-find locations. The game had a time limit,and whichever family found the most when the bell rang won the prize. This year, it was a giant chocolate egg… wrapped in gold foil to match the Precieux design. Local restaurants had also donated gift cards to the champion’s basket, but since this was an employee-only festivity, the playersreallycraved the bragging rights. How could Cash show his face as the boss come Monday if he lost?
Whichinspired him to typeoutthe texttoSable.If he and Clover were going to win, they needed the thief’s help, but this was also a closed event. No employee friends were present. Justrelatives. Sable wasn’t family, but if he invited her, it would send a clear message. The duo had become a trio, and he was nervous about making such a bold statement. They’d been taking their relationship at a snail’s pace the past week.Partially becausewithEaster rapidly approaching, Cash’s workload was immense, but also because he felt it wise not to bypass the early stages of dating and dive into something serious.Yes, he could feel the soulmate bond, but she had lied and stolen the egg. He’d forgiven her actions since they’d saved him and his son from the darker forces at play, but forgiveness and rushing their romance weretwo different things.
“Sable should be here,” Clover said, voicing his thoughts out loud. “She’s a thief, right?”
“Shhh,” Cash hushed. “That’s not something we want the whole museum knowing.” Sable’s profession was Cash’s other concern. She’d returned the Golden Egg, but that didn’t mean she’d retired. As much as hewas fallingin love with her, a woman who stole for a living might not be a wise role model for his son.
“Sorry.” Clover grimaced. “But we still need her. She’d bereallygood at this hunt, and we can’t lose. Think how embarrassing Monday morning will be if you lose, Dad.”
“Wow, lay it on thick, why don’t you?” Cash laughed.
“It’s true.” Clover shrugged. “I want to win, and Sable would be a huge help. Why didn’t you invite her?”
“Because this is a family event.”
“She’s family.”
“But she isn’t.”
