“Have a good one. We’ll see you tomorrow, Gracie,” the woman said.
“Goodbye,” Gracie said quietly. “Hi, Auntie Brinks and Links.”
Brinkley glanced at me, her brows cinched together as I pulled out of the circular drive and headed toward downtown.
“Hey, how was your day?”
“Fine.”
“Fine? It’s not like you to be this quiet. Did something happen today?”
She didn’t respond. I glanced in my rearview mirror as I pulled in front of the tea place, and Gracie just stared out the window.
“Something is up,” Brinkley whispered close to my ear before she unbuckled herself.
We got out of the car and walked into the Tipsy Tea, which was some sort of little girl store, and everything was pink and floral. It smelled like watermelon bubblegum. An elderly woman walked over, and Brinkley introduced me.
“This is Matilda. She owns this gorgeous store. Matilda, this is Lincoln.”
“Nice to meet you, Lincoln. Congrats on signing with the Thunderbirds. We’ll miss you playing for San Francisco, but my husband and I will be cheering you on all the same this year.”
“I appreciate it.”
“I’m guessing it’s a special day with Auntie Brinks, and you’ll get to pick out a lovely prize?” Matilda bent down to greet Gracie before shooting a look at Brinkley.
Apparently, everyone here was fluent in the behavior of this kid, aside from me. Hell, sometimes I don’t feel like talking. Doesn’t mean anything other than I don’t feel like talking.
“Yes, ma’am,” Gracie said, and she gave a small smile.
“Great, well, you enjoy yourselves. We got some new things in this morning, so go wander around and check it out.”
She waved and walked toward the cash register.
Brinkley followed Gracie down an aisle with a whole lot of pink shit, and her phone buzzed.
“Oh. It’s John Jones from Football Live calling,” she gasped.
“Go take it outside. I’ve got this.”
“Okay. Thank you. I’ll be right back, Gracie. Stay with Links.”
Gracie nodded as Brinkley darted out of the store. We came to a stop in front of a pair of pink cowboy boots.
“Do you like those?” I asked as she studied them.
“I do. But that’s a fancy present.” She picked one up and smiled at it.
“I think we should try those on.” I bent down and unbuckled her navy school shoes and looked on the bottom for the size before finding a pair of boots of the same size. She held onto my shoulder with her tiny hands, and I helped her slip into them.
“Preston told me that I’m weird because my dog’s name is Bob Picklepants.” She shrugged. Was this some sort of little girl confessional? I didn’t know what was happening, but I’d go with it.
“Preston sounds like a tool. I like the name Bob Picklepants. And there’s nothing weird about you, Gracie Reynolds. I say you rock these pink boots at school tomorrow and ignore him.”
Her brows cinched as if she were considering saying something but wasn’t sure. “He said I’m weird because I don’t have a mama, too.”
My motherfucking chest tightened so much it was painful. I took her little hand in mine as I remained bent down so I could look into her dark eyes that were so similar to Brinkley’s. They were watering just the slightest bit, and I wanted to beat the fuck out of this Preston kid for hurting her.
“Do you know that I didn’t have a dad growing up? And I’m certainly not weird, am I? I think it makes us extra cool because we’ve got one parent that loves us enough for two. Not many people can say that.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips turned up in the corners with a genuine smile as she used the back of her hand to wipe away the single tear that had just rolled down her cheek. This little girl was something special.
“You’re not weird, Links. We’re both extra cool,” she said, as if I’d just fixed all her problems.
I wanted to drive right down to that school tomorrow and give Preston a piece of my fucking mind.
Kids, man. They could be brutal.
“I think that pink hat would look awfully cute on you with the boots,” I said, because now she was looking down at her feet and smiling.
“I can’t get two prizes in one day,” she said. “That’s not the rules.”
“Well, I’m here today. I think we should get a couple of things.” I reached for the hat, but before I placed it on her, she tugged at her two little buns sitting on her head.
“We needs to take these out first or the hat won’t fit. Can you help me?”
I gently tried to remove the elastic from each one, but I didn’t want to yank her hair. She shocked me when she placed a hand on my cheek and smiled. “You won’t hurt me, Links. Daddy says I’m the toughest girl around, next to Auntie Brinks.”
I chuckled as her hair sprung loose and dark spiral curls fell down around her shoulders. I plopped the hat on her head and pushed to stand all the way up.
I’d never even known that tiny humans could be this adorable.
She hurried to the mirror and gasped.
“I look extra cool, don’t I, Links?”
“You sure do.”
Matilda came walking over and clapped her hands together. “Well, aren’t you the cutest girl in the world. And you’ll look perfect at the fair this summer.”
“I insist on getting them,” I said.
“I can’t believe it. Can I wear them out of the store, Miss Matilda?”
“You sure can.”
I held her little navy shoes in my hand and glanced around. “Is there anything else that you like?”
Those dark eyes grew wide again, and she covered her mouth with both hands, as if she couldn’t believe I’d asked the question, and I swear I’d get this little girl one of everything in this store if she asked for it.
Matilda pointed to the back of the store and said that they’d gotten some new dresses in, so I followed Gracie over there. But she’d passed by the sundresses that were hanging on a rack and gasped when she saw a rack full of white, puffy dresses that looked more like wedding gowns.
“Links,” she whispered, and her little voice shook. “Look at that one. It’s a real princess dress. Not a pretend one.”
Matilda chuckled and pulled down the one Gracie was pointing to.
“This is a flower girl dress. I think you’re going to be a flower girl in your uncle Hugh’s wedding and your aunt Georgia’s weddings. But didn’t you already get dresses for those?”
“Yes.” Gracie nodded. “They are real pretty but not fancy like this one.”
“I think you should try it on. You can wear it to Sunday dinner at your grandparents’ house,” I said.
Matilda chuckled, and Gracie jumped up and down as the older woman said she’d help her try it on. I waited and walked over to the front of the store to see Brinkley on the phone, pacing in circles out in front of the store as she spoke.
“Links!” Gracie shouted, and I made my way back. She twirled around and did some sort of curtsy, managing to keep her pink cowboy hat on her head. “Look at me. I’m a real, live princess.”