The little girl nodded, then giggled and preened in front of the mirror while Cassie experienced a last-minute panic attack when she thought she’d have to wear flip flops or gym shoes. Luckily, Anna swooped to the rescue with a pair of strappy black sandals for her to borrow and the ensemble was complete. Simple, but complete.
“I can’t believe I’m so stressed about this.” Cassie ran her fingers through her hair one more time. “I shouldn’t have said yes.”
“You’ll be fine,” Anna said. She’d arrived an hour earlier to stay with Bobby while Birdie and Cassie went out and had already talked Cassie back from canceling three times. “And I’ll be here waiting up so you can update me on what you’ve read in the journal so far.”
“I can skip this and tell you now,” Cassie said.
Anna shook her head. “I don’t want a rushed report. That’s why I didn’t want you to tell me anything yet. I want to sit down with you and hear the details in person. Besides, think about Birdie. She’s so excited to go. You can’t cancel now.”
Cassie’s eyes fell on her daughter. Dressed in a bright pink and orange striped sundress, she whirled in a patch of sunlight coming through the window. Her dress spun out in a rolling wave around her knees.
“Look, Mama!” She giggled as she fell over. “My dress makes me dizzy!”
“I’ll never get tired of hearing her talk,” Cassie said.
Anna snorted. “Wait till she’s a teenager. Now quit stressing. This will be fun. For both of you.”
“Then why don’t you go instead?” Cassie said.
“Stop it.” Anna glanced out the window. “Nick’s here. I’m going to check on Bobby and see if she’s up from her nap. You get the door.”
Cassie’s stomach plummeted. Hands shaking, she pulled open the door before Nick had a chance to ring the bell. He’d dressed casually in khaki shorts and a blue slim fit T-shirt that hugged his muscular frame. His tanned face was freshly shaved, and he held two bouquets in his hand: a small, child-sized mixture of miniature sunflowers and daisies, and a large, brightly colored assortment of wildflowers. She squeezed the door to still her quaking hands.
“You look beautiful,” he said. His trademark dimples punctuated his easy smile as he held out the flowers.
Her self–preservation instincts screamed for her to run away, but she found she couldn’t break the inexplicable connection sparking between them. Her heart rate slowed. Her breathing evened out. The trembling in her hands and belly settled and she realized something: he soothed her. His presence alone made her feel better. Feel safe.
“Come on in.” She took one step back to let him in, but it felt like she’d jumped off a bridge into an icy river.
“I figured a shorter bouquet would be easier for Birdie to enjoy,” he said. “Where is she?”
“Nick!” Birdie ran down the hall and jumped into his arms. “I missed you!”
“Hey there! I missed you too!” He caught her easily and swung her around, the tiny, forgotten bouquet crushed between his hand and her side. Birdie’s squeals of delight filled the room.
“Are those pretty flowers for me?” Birdie asked as he set her down.
Nick kneeled next to her and straightened the squished flowers, then presented them with a flourish. “Pretty flowers for a pretty girl.”
Cassie smiled at their easy banter while Birdie led Nick into the kitchen to put her flowers in water.
“She’s crazy about him, isn’t she?” Anna said as she came back in the living room.
Cassie nodded, trying to sort through the myriad of confusing feelings coursing through her. Excitement, fear, hope, happiness. It was all too much. She started to hyperventilate.
“You okay?” Anna asked. “I know you think I pushed you to do this, but you need it.”
“What are you, a shrink now?” Cassie’s voice shook as she drew in a shaky breath.
“No, I’m just your mom. I know you.” Anna tucked a lock of Cassie’s hair back behind her ear as Nick and Birdie came back into the room.
“Are you ladies ready?” Nick held out an arm for Birdie to take.
“Yeah!” she squealed. “Let’s go to the carnival!”
Muggy summer air suffocated them as they wandered through the rides and games set up in the grade school parking lot. Cassie, never one to pick style over comfort, now had her hair tied in a loose ponytail. Still, she fanned herself with the flyer she’d grabbed on the way in and regretted not wearing shorts.