Rhonan crouches down so he’s at eye level with his daughter. “I promise that I’m safe. Okay?” She nods but doesn’t say anything. “I don’t think I’ll need any more rocks, though, sweetie.”
She shrugs. “Better to be safe than sorry, right?”
He nods. “I guess so.”
An idea sparks in my mind. “Ellis, I have an idea for what we could do with some of these rocks.”
Her bright blue eyes lift to mine. “What?”
“We could paint them and put them all over your yard as decorations. That way, you still have them, but they’re not just sitting in this basket.”
Those blue eyes widen so big, I’m afraid they might fall out of her head. “Yes! Let’s do that! Can we do it right now?”
I laugh, but Rhonan beats me to a response. “Not tonight, Ellis. It’s almost time for a bath and bed.”
“Aw, man.”
“I promise that we will, though,” I add.
Ellis steps up to me with her pinky outstretched. “Pinky promise?”
I lean down and intertwine my pinky with hers. “Pinky promise.”
Roscoe scratches at the patio door, reminding us that he’s still out there. “Can I play with Roscoe some more?” Ellis drops her hand from mine.
“Just for a little bit,” Rhonan says.
“Okay, Daddy.” She moves toward the door but then stops and rushes back to her dad. “We can’t paint your special rock, though, Daddy.”
Rhonan nods while I wonder what she’s referring to. “I know. That one stays with me.”
Nodding, she moves back to the patio door and slides outside once more, running away from Roscoe as he chases her.
“You have a special rock?” I ask.
He arches a brow at me. “Do you think that’s out of line given the context of this conversation?” Waving his hand toward the basket, I smile as he continues. “There was one rock that Ellis insisted I keep on me at all times. She said it was a special protection rock.” Reaching into his pocket, he takes out a small, dark gray river rock that is smooth all over and barely the size of a marble. “I don’t go anywhere without it.”
Emotion threatens to overtake me for the love this man has for his kid.
Cole never would have been a father like that. I know that now, deep in my bones.
This is how a dad is supposed to be.
I cover the rock in his hand with my own. “This is the sweetest freaking thing.” Rhonan drops his eyes to our hands. “Seriously, Rhonan. I—I think I might cry.”
He reaches for my face with his other hand, drawing his brows together and cupping my jaw. “Don’t do that. It’s just a rock.”
We stand there with our eyes locked for so long, my heart hammering wildly and oxygen depleting from my lungs, that I’ve completely forgotten that Joanne is in the room until she clears her throat. “So, am I buying paint, or are you?” she asks me.
Rhonan and I release each other from our grasps like we’re teenagers that have just been caught making out. I tuck my hair behindmy ear nervously. “Um, I can.”
“I think we have some paint around here somewhere too,” she continues. “But just so you’re aware, that kid is not going to forget about this.” Joanne points to the backyard where Ellis and Roscoe are still playing.
“Oh, I won’t either,” I reply. “Besides, I did pinky promise, right?”
Rhonan studies me but doesn’t say anything.
“You did. Just let me know when you want to schedule a playdate to paint,” Joanne says before heading toward her room.
