“Is that everything?” I asked.
“Mm-hmm.” Austin lifted his bowl and slurped the leftover milk.
I turned to Levi. “I think we can handle that, don’t you?”
He nodded. “I can stop by this cute little bakery near the rink and grab whatever treats you guys want to bring. They have all kinds of cupcakes, cookies, and even brownies.”
“Really?” Maisie’s big brown eyes lit up.
Sensing his daughter’s excitement, Levi doubled down. “Yeah, we can make a family night of it. Get all dressed up and go to dinner first.”
“I can do your hair and makeup,” I offered.
Her jaw dropped. “You’d let me wear makeup?”
“Nothing crazy. A little bit of natural eyeshadow, mascara, and lip gloss.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She got up and hugged me so tight it was hard to breathe, but I loved every minute.
I squeezed her back. “You’re very welcome. Now go grab your backpack; the bus will be here any minute.”
Maisie released me to give Levi the same show of gratitude before heading for the front hallway. Over her shoulder, she declared, “It’s going to be the best night ever!”
Austin groaned, sliding off his stool. “Great. Thanks, guys.” Sarcasm dripped from every word.
Levi grinned at the surly teen. “Come on, I bet there’s at least one girl that you wouldn’t mind cozying up with on the dance floor.”
A flush crept up Austin’s neck, and he shook his head violently. “Nope, not one,” he protested as he scurried from the room.
Once he was out of sight, I let loose a laugh. “Oh, there’s definitely a girl.”
The humor quickly faded from Levi’s face. “Wait, you don’t think there’s some boy who’s got a thing for Maisie, do you?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Probably. She’s cute as hell.”
“Fuck.” He groaned into his hands before letting them fall away to reveal the tortured look in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Arizona, you need to understand something. Boys that age, they only think about one thing.”
Cocking my hip, I shot back, “Onlyboys that age?”
His eyes narrowed into thin slits when I implied that adult men—himself included—were also completely obsessed with sex.
“Not funny,” he gritted out, jaw clenched tight.
I took a sip from my coffee mug, murmuring around the rim, “It’s true.”
A wounded wail split the air as he gripped two fistfuls of his dark hair and tugged. “She’s twelve! I’m going to have to kill any little shit who tries to put his hands on her.”
His mini meltdown was beyond amusing, as was the irony of Levi being downright indignant that a boy would take advantage of his daughter.
“Bit of a double standard, don’t you think? You were all for Austin having a dance partner, but Maisie can’t have one?”
Rearing back, he sputtered, “Th-that’s not what I’m saying!”
“It kind of is.” Moving around the island, I propped a hip against it when I came to a stop in front of him. “Your concerns are valid, but I’ll remind you that this is a middle school dance, and we’ll be there as chaperones, so you’ll have eyes on her the whole night. Nothing inappropriate is going to happen, but if it makes you feel any better, I can sit down and have a talk with her about informed consent and what to do if someone crosses a line or makes her uncomfortable.”
