Page 66 of Smitty

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back as she chewed. “Oh my gosh. They are even better than I remember.”

“It’s just a sandwich.”

“It’s the best thing I’ve eaten in days.” She took another bite. “I’d forgotten how good they are.”

“Not exactly fine dining.”

“Doesn’t matter. I still love them.” She motioned her hand to a plate of cookies sitting on the center of the table. “I have a surprise for you, too.”

“No way.” I stepped closer. “Are those your granny cookies?”

“The one and only.”

My mouth watered as I walked over and picked one up. I took a bite and shook my head. “Even better than I remembered.”

“Mine!” Anslee huffed from the living room floor.

“No, ma’am,” Brooke fussed. “You’ve already had two.”

After I shoved the rest of the cookie in my mouth, I slipped out of my cut and hung it on the hanger by the door. On any other day, I would be tempted to grab another, but once I’d spotted Anslee, she was the only thing on my mind.

I was struggling to get a grip on my emotions when Brooke put her hand on the back of my shoulder and said, “Come on.”

I followed her from the kitchen entryway into the living room. The house wasn’t big, but it was clean and filled with all the basic necessities. There was a big window and lots of pictures on the wall, flowers here and there, and blankets carefully folded at the end of the oversized sofa. A large flat-screen television was mounted over the fireplace, and plants were methodically placed throughout the room, giving it a homey feel.

And there were toys. Lots and lots of toys.

Some were scattered on the floor while others toppled over baskets in the corner. Anslee sat in the middle of a large pile of blocks. She was wearing a pair of white footed pajamas with kittens on them, and her hair was damp with little curly ringlets all over. She was so busy trying to stack her next block that she didn’t even notice that we’d walked over.

Brooke sat down next to her and said, “Hey, sweetie. This is my friend, Brayden.”

Those beautiful blue eyes found me, and I suddenly forgot how to breathe. She was the cutest little girl I’d ever laid eyes on. I moved slow as I eased down on the floor next to her, and for a second, she just stared at me.

She was curious about the strange man sitting across from her, wondering what he was doing in her house. It didn’t help matters that I didn’t know what to say or do.

“Hey, whatcha got there?” She didn’t answer. Instead, she took the block in her hand and offered it to me. “Thank you.”

“Box.”

“Mind if I give you a hand?”

She didn’t answer. She just offered me another and waited as I placed them both on the tower she was creating. She clapped, then grabbed two more, practically tossing them in my lap. “Box.”

I looked over at Brooke, and she was smiling ear to ear. “Oh, my. She’s roped you in now.”

“I’m all for it.”

I placed one of the blocks on top of the others, and once again, she clapped. Only this time, she bounced with it, causing the tower to collapse around us. Anslee’s eyes grew wide, and I feared she might cry. Instead, she started to laugh, and the sound hit me square in the chest.

Brooke and I laughed right along with her, and we were still laughing when she started gathering the blocks once again. Brooke nudged me with her elbow. “She’s not one to give up.”

“Determined like her mother.” Anslee crawled over and dropped a few more blocks in my lap. Brooke giggled as she added, “She’s bossy, too.”

“That she is.”

I stacked the blocks where I thought Anslee might want them, and every time I got it right, she’d smile. When I didn’t, her brows would furrow, and I’d immediately move them. Brooke rolled her eyes and teased, “You’re creating a monster.”

“Hey, this is my first time at this.”