I clear my throat and make my presence known. Aura looks in my direction, giving me a big gummy smile as I go to take her from Millie’s arms, nuzzling into her tiny neck.
“Thanks for watching her, Ma.” I say, giving my mom a side hug.
“Oh, stop it. I loved every second, and you know it. I’ve missed her dearly,” she says, smiling at my little girl.
Millie looks good today. She looks amazing, actually. She has on a cute cropped t-shirt and jeans, and she has her hair in braids. Seeing her in jeans, especially after last night, makes me angry at any other man who has seen her in them. Her legs go on for days, and her ass fits in these jeans like a glove.
I swear I try not to look, but how can I not? It’s like the damn gods stitched the jeans themselves, and her curves were their favorite blueprint. The contrast of her sweet laugh with the way she looks—how she moves, how she owns every inch of herself without even realizing it—makes it so hard to stay cool.
Chill out, Sirolli. Chill the hell out.
I can’t blow this with Millie. I am determined not to fuck it up.
I smile at her, and she seems taken aback at first, then her cheeksflush as she grabs a maritozzi that my mom just put a platter of out.
That blush? It’s going to kill me. She’s shy and confident all at once. She doesn’t even know how captivating she is. And it drives me absolutely wild.
“I’m going to take Aura back to my quarters and get her dressed for our adventure today,” I say, leaving before my mom can say anything more.
When I get back to the house, I give Aura a quick bath, giving her the spa treatment, using her Italian-made baby products. When Haley was pregnant, I struggled to imagine being a girl dad. Now I can’t picture anything else.
I settle on putting Aura in a long-sleeve onesie with ruffles on the shoulders along with a brown plaid skirt. Topping off the outfit with the smallest Mary Jane shoes and ruffle socks.
Aura was born with a full head of lush hair, and I’ve had to learn to do hair earlier than I expected. I choose to put her hair in two ponytails, finishing with two bows.
Her tiny giggles echo around the room as I fuss with her hair, and every sound she makes anchors me more deeply to her. There’s no greater sound on earth. I catch a glimpse of us in the mirror—her perched on the vanity, me on my knees in front of her like she’s royalty—and I can’t help but smile.
I hear the door open and close. Assuming it is Millie, I say to Aura, “I think Millie is back. She just can’t resist us, can she?”
Millie walks into the room, wrapping her arms around my torso. “You talking about me Gabby?”
I smile, picking up Aura, turning us both in Millie’s arms. When we are facing her, she smiles at Aura. “Sweets, you would tell me if your dad were talking bad about me, right?”
Millie takes Aura out of my arms and walks into the living room. When I dispose of the dirty diaper, I join them at their spot on the floor.
“Not talking bad about you, Bumper. Definitely talking about you, though.” I say, kissing the top of herhead.
Something feels different between us, in the best way possible. I feel lighter. It seems like I was keeping my feelings for Millie to myself for a lifetime. Well, other than when I constantly talked to my infant daughter about loving her nanny.
There was a time when I thought this might be temporary. A phase. But that time has long passed. Now, I see her holding my daughter and laughing in the sunlight, and I can’t imagine a future where she’s not in every frame.
“What are your plans with Sweets today?” Millie asks, standing to check if the diaper bag is stocked.
I pick Aura up, walking to where Millie is standing.
“Bumper, I am just taking her around to the little shops, maybe to lunch since she is eating solids. I would love for you to join us. I know Beanie would definitely love spending her day with you,” I say, looking at my daughter, smiling right on cue.
Millie looks conflicted, and for a minute, I almost think she is going to decline my invitation.
“Ah, what the heck. Sure! I’d love to go with you guys,” she says in a high-pitched voice, throwing her hands in the air.
And just like that, I feel ten pounds lighter. I don’t know why I was nervous. Maybe because asking her to spend the day with me felt like more than just a casual offer. It felt like something closer to a test—a glimpse of what our lives could look like, wrapped up in tiny shops and sippy cups and stolen glances.
Not even an hour later, Millie, Aura, and I are strolling around Lucino. When we pass a small children’s boutique that is nestled on the cobblestone street, Millie insists we go in.
“Come on, Gab. It’ll be fun!” She says, pushing the stroller through the double doors.
When we enter the store, the air is infused with the scent of lavender and lemon. The storefront has arched windows that are encased by vibrant flower boxes overflowing with geraniums and baby’s breath, enticing visitors to come in.
