By the time evening rolls around, homework is graded and inputted into the school’s system and Amber’s running around in her footie pajamas, wondering when everyone is going to show up. I look at the clock and realize it’s a little bit before seven, so I head to the front door and unlock it.
Only for Walker to waltz in with brown bags in his arms a few minutes later.
“Here, let me help,” I say as I move to help him.
“Hi, Walker!” Amber chimes in, waving from the couch.
Walker nods his head in her direction. “Hello there, Miss Amber. And how are you this evening?”
She giggles at his formality. “I’m really good. Got all my homework done.”
“Yeah?” Walker asks as we make our way into my kitchen. “Did you get all the questions right?”
“Always. It’s math, and I’m good at math.”
“Well, maybe one of these days I’ll hire you to do the accounting for the vineyard.”
I chuckle as I set the bags down on the countertop. “So, what’s for dinner?”
Walker starts unpacking his bags. “Surf and turf. With her preheat ramping up, she needs the protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and then I’ve got some vegetables we can stir fry and the ingredients for macaroni and cheese.”
“Mac ’n cheese!” Amber exclaims as her little fist pumps in the air. “Yessss!”
The door whips open before Knox’s voice enters. “I heard something about macaroni and cheese. Who’s ready for some dinner?”
“Knox!” Amber exclaims.
To my surprise, my daughter shoots off the couch and goes running toward the massive handyman. With a bottle of wine in one of his hands and a bottle of what looks like sparkling grape juice in the other, he crouches down and opens his arms wide for her.
Amber crashes into him, hugging him around his neck and doing her little happy wiggle dance.
“Love the pajamas,” Knox says as he gives her a hug. “They’re fit for a princess.”
“That’s me,” Amber says with a massive smile as she untangles herself from him. “Wanna come watch my movie with me? Daddy says when the movie’s done, dinner will be done.”
“Good to know,” Walker says as he starts opening cabinets. “Where do you keep your pots and pans?”
I crouch down and open up one at his knees. “Down here. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll get it for you.”
While Walker rattles off everything required to make up surf and turf for dinner, Knox abandons the two bottles of drinks in the kitchen before flopping onto the couch with Amber.
Sure enough, he’s come in Christmas pajamas, of all things. Amber talks to him, pointing at the television and no doubt rattling off all the behind-the-scenes facts she knows about her favorite movie,Anastasia.
Not too long after that, my front door eases open.
Only for me to hear a resounding bark.
“Pickles!” Amber exclaims.
The German shepherd hauls ass toward my couch and leaps up onto the cushions. He places his head right in my daughter’s lap before flopping his butt right down into Knox’s, and already, the poor man’s been replaced.
“Hello, hello,” Lia says.
“Oh, shit,” Knox says as he yanks himself up from the couch. “Here, let me help.”
Amber giggles. “Knox said a bad word.”
I peer around the corner of the kitchen and shoot Knox a muted look. He mouths an apology while taking something from Lia’s arms, though, and that diverts my attention.
