Page 18 of Kiss Me Forever

“Leif actually did this tattoo,” I said, pointing to a grouping of trees on my arm.

“Really?”

I nodded. “Yes. You’re right, they are the best. But maybe no tattoos until you’re thirty.”

Bella laughed. “Grandma said never, so I guess you’re the easier one.”

I shook my head. “Oh no, you don’t get to pit me against them. I told you we would be truthful to each other, so that means no trying to get your way against your grandparents. Including my parents.”

“Fine.” She let out a dramatic sigh, and I smiled. There was a little more of the Bella that I wanted to know underneath the veneer of sullenness. “If I get into camp, that means I have a few hours a day with them, but then what am I going to do? You’re not married right?”

My heart kicked, and I shook my head. “I used to be. But no, I’m not married. I used to be, but not anymore.”

She didn’t visibly react to that information. “No kids?”

“Just you,” I said dryly. “My wife and I decided we were better as friends, and now she’s married with two kids, and they live in Montana. I’ve been staying in the Denver area, working.”

Bella walked around the room, touching everything as she walked by, before she sat on the bed and began to play with the duvet. “So I don’t have any brothers and sisters out there?”

I shook my head. “No. You don’t. I would say I’m sorry about that, but I don’t know what you want the answer to be.”

She looked up at me then, her eyes sad. “I don’t know either. Why do you work with fire things?”

This I could answer. “I used to be a firefighter. I liked it, and was good at it, but I got hurt one too many times and decided to go into construction. Your grandpa’s a carpenter and taught me all he knew. Your uncles are still in the firefighting business.”

Her eyes widened. “I have uncles?”

I cursed under my breath, and she laughed. We would get used to this whole father daughter thing. Maybe. “Yes. I have three younger brothers. And they all want to meet you, but I figured day one with so many Foxes in the house would be a little ridiculous.”

“My middle name is Fox,” Bella blurted.

My heart did that little kick thing that was so new to me with this kid. “I know. I’m glad she gave you part of me, even though I didn’t know you.”

“Did you ever save anyone? Or go into a burning building?” She clearly didn’t want to get into that and I didn’t blame her.

“It was part of the job, and I did.”

“How did you get hurt?” The worry in her tone slapped at me, but I didn’t know if it was for me, or the fact that she had lost her mother so recently. Poor kid.

“I fell a couple of times, floors giving out, or just the comings and goings of being the person that goes into burning buildings. I didn’t need the adrenaline rush like my brothers did.”

“Will I meet your brothers?”

“You’re not going to have a choice,” I said dryly. “They will want to come over and meet you soon. If they get to be too much, just let me know. Maybe we can have a signal.”

Her smile brightened her whole face and I knew I’d do whatever I could to make her smile like that again. “Like waving my hands in the air rapidly?”

“We can do that. Or go more subtle. It’s up to you.” The doorbell rang before I could say anything else, and I sighed. “That is probably one of them now.”

“Oh. Well, I guess it’s okay to meet them.”

Gone was the happy, slightly energetic daughter that I was just meeting, and back was the shy girl who was out of her sense of normal.

“Come on, let’s go see who it is. We can get you unpacked and figure out what I missed. Because I have no idea what a preteen girl needs.”

“You think I do?” she asked, sarcasm dripping from her.

I had a feeling I was going to like this kid.