“Dad!” I thumped his shoulder. “I asked you not to say anything yet.”
“And I was careful not to make that promise. I tell her everything, I can’t help it.” My dad slung his arm around my mom’s shoulder and kissed her head.
It’s easy to talk to you. Dex’s words from earlier echoed through my head.
“Anyway,” I said, “it’s premature to talk about leaving yet. I want to hear the details from Sandra, and then I can make a decision.”
Later, Millie and I walked out together. “What are you up to tomorrow?” she asked.
“I have to work reception in the morning. Then I’m heading over to Dex’s sister’s house for a cookout.”
Millie laughed.
“What? It’s just a cookout,” I said defensively.
“I talked to Whitney today. She said you guys were at Cloverleigh all morning.”
“We were. She was awesome with the girls. I owe her one.”
“She said they were adorable.”
“They loved it. They didn’t stop talking about it the whole way home.”
“She also mentioned you and Dex looked pretty cozy together,” she said suggestively.
I shrugged. “I don’t know what made her say that.”
“I think it was just a feeling that you seemed comfortable with each other—like old friends,” Millie said. “She was surprised that you guys met recently.”
“Yeah. We clicked fast. Good chemistry, I guess.” I played with my keys. “But you can tell Whitney—like I keep telling you—there’s nothing serious between us.”
I didn’t have trouble meeting her eye, because it was the truth.
But damn.
Being the boss of my feelings was getting harder every day.
Sixteen
Dex
“Want to hear about the new story I’m writing?” Hallie asked Sunday night when I went in to say goodnight to the girls.
“Yes.” I sat down on the edge of her bed.
She hugged Rupert the penguin tight, resting her chin on his head. “It’s about a princess.”
“Oh yeah? What’s her name?”
“Her name is Minnie.”
“Princess Minnie.” Leaning back on my elbow, I pretended to consider the name. “And what does she look like?”
“She’s very beautiful, with long golden hair. She lives in a little cottage in the forest. And she has a cat.”
“What’s the cat’s name?” Luna asked, turning onto her side to face her sister’s bed.
Hallie thought for a moment. “Tigger.”
“Interesting,” I said.
Luna giggled and tucked her hands beneath her cheek.
“Princess Minnie is very sad when Tigger runs up a very tall tree and won’t come down,” Hallie went on. “And she has no one to ask for help.”
“Aren’t there some townspeople about?” I asked.
“No.” Hallie’s tone was solemn. “Minnie cannot go to town because she’s hiding in the forest. Her parents are cruel and they want her to marry a mean prince.”
“Well, that sucks.”
“There’s only one person she can ask—he lives near her in the forest, and she sometimes sees him through her window.” Hallie took a breath. “But she’s scared of him.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s an ogre. A big hairy ogre.”
I frowned, cocking one brow. “And what’s the big hairy ogre’s name?”
“Rex.”
“You don’t say.”
“Every night she hears Rex snoring really loud and making other scary ogre noises. The ground trembles when he walks.”
“Because he has giant muscles?”
“Because he has giant feet.”
I sighed. “So does the princess overcome her fear and knock on his door?”
“I don’t know yet. That’s as far as I’ve gotten.”
“What?” I swatted her leg through the covers. “You’re just going to leave Luna and me hanging there? With poor Tigger up a tree and Princess Minnie all alone and scared?”
Hallie smiled. “It’s a good story, right?”
“Yes. You need to finish it.” I slid off the bed and kissed her forehead. “Tell me something—is the ogre really a prince under some kind of evil spell?”
She shook her head. “No, he’s really an ogre.”
“Figures.” I kissed Luna’s temple and turned off the light. “Goodnight, girls. See you in the morning.”