Her embrace, which could be more aptly described as a choke hold, caused my head to turn and when I pulled away and looked back to the spot where Peyton stood, there was no one there.
She was gone. I stood, trying to catch a glimpse of her. But I didn’t see her anywhere.
Beside me, Heather sprung up from the bench like a Jack-in-the-Box. “Is everything okay? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just…I have to go. Peanut, let’s go!” I called out.
“But, Daddy—" Hannah started to protest but I shot her a look that told her I was serious. Her shoulders slumped as she climbed down from the play structure.
I snatched her backpack off the ground, and we said a quick goodbye to Heather and Willa before I grabbed Hannah’s hand and practically dragged her alongside me.
“Daddy, what’s wrong?” she asked as her little legs ran to keep up with me.
“I saw a friend that I need to talk to,” I explained.
“What friend?”
Did I want to tell my daughter her name? If I did, she would definitely repeat it to Lizzy, who would definitely have follow-up questions for me.
“An old friend.”
“Howoldis she?”
“She’s my age.”
“Oh Daddy, you’re not that old,” Hannah assured me sweetly.
I chuckled as I continued to search the park. If Hannah was a few years older, I know her sentiment would have been sarcastic. I had precious little time left of sincere adorations, then I knew everything I did would embarrass her and she would think I wasveryold.
“What does she look like?” Hannah asked, eager to help.
An angel.
I knew that description wouldn’t help, so I said, “She has long brown hair and she’s wearing a yellow coat.”
Hannah’s eyes widened. “Like Belle?”
Belle was her favorite Disney princess. She’d gone as Belle for Halloween the last two years and her room at my house was decorated with all things Beauty and the Beast.
“Yeah, like Belle.”
Hannah gasped. “She sounds beautiful.”
Sheisbeautiful. We walked the entire length of the park twice before I was convinced that Peyton was gone.
My mind scrambled trying to think of what she would be doing in town. Then I remembered. Nonna lived just a few blocks away. Peyton must be visiting her.
“Come on, let’s go!” We jogged back to my SUV, which was parked on the street.
When we were close, I hit the fob unlocking the doors. Hannah hopped up in her booster seat in the back seat. I threw her backpack next to her, shut the door, and got in the driver’s seat.
“Buckle up,” I instructed as I glanced in the rearview and saw her doing as I asked. When she was safely clicked in, I pulled out.
“Where are we going?” she asked from the back seat.
I glanced down at the time. I still had an hour before I was dropping her off at Lizzy’s who was at a doctor’s appointment. After that I was due back at the office to interview the latest intern candidates. I wouldn’t have time to stop by Nonna’s after dropping off Hannah before my first appointment back at the office.
Shit.I didn’t want to drag Hannah along to go and find out what the hell Peyton was doing here, but there was no way that I could wait until after the interviews to do it.
