Page 28 of York

“She said she’s gonna have some after dinner. She’s making sketti.”

“I saw that.”

“Do you like sketti?”

“I do.”

“Can you stay for dinner?”

“Well, I think I have to ask your mom if I can do that.”

“Ask me if you can do what?” Runa asked, making both of us look over.

“Can York…” Denali paused, nodded once like she was making up her mind, then started again, “Can Daddy stay for dinner?”

Fuck.

My hand went to my chest, as that sharp feeling intensified.

Runa gave me a soft smile that said she understood what I was feeling. Maybe she’d felt the same way the first time she heard a small Denali call her ‘Mama.’

“Of course he can stay for dinner, if he doesn’t have other plans.”

“Nope.”

“He likes sketti.”

“Perfect then. Why don’t you go wash your hands?” she suggested, leaving the two of us alone. “I wanted to warn you that we’d had that talk.”

“I think she needed to process it with me,” I told her, getting up and walking toward her. “So, spaghetti?”

“With a side of salad. Which you have to eat even if you don’t like it. I don’t want her thinking veggies are an option.”

“I like salad,” I said with a shrug.

“All clean!” Denali declared behind her mom, making both of us turn and follow her into the dining room.

“So, is this another ranch situation?” I asked as Denali pulled her salad bowl close as Runa went back to the kitchen.

“No. She’s full of surprises with salad.” Runa went to the cooler I’d packed from their mini fridge at the motel. “French or creamy Italian?” she asked, holding up both bottles.

Dinner was full of mostly Denali babbling about the new house, her new toys, the crafts she wanted to do, the books she wanted to read before bed, and how excited she was to see the Aurora Borealis projector. Her mother and I mostly just agreed with her and made grunting noises when she paused to catch her breath.

“Can Daddy stay to read me a book?” Denali asked, making that all too familiar stitch start in my chest again.

Runa looked to me.

“Sure. I’d like that.”

“Alright. All settled. Go get your stinky self in the shower.”

The water was already running.

“I’m not stinky!”

“Stinky and dirty.”

“Am not.”