Page 47 of Falling For You

"Oh, honey." Barb put her hand over her heart. "You look beautiful."

Birdie ran back to the mirror. I could hear her turning left, then right, studying herself from every angle. I sat back down at the kitchen table with Barb. Birdie came running back and threw her arms around my neck.

"Thank you, Andy."

I wrapped my arms around her. "Anytime, sweetheart."

She pulled back and twirled.

"Barb, look! Look how it moves!"

"Oh, give me another spin," Barb said, clapping her hands together. "One more, one more."

Birdie spun again, giggling, her arms out wide. Barb cheered like it was the best thing she'd seen all day.

I picked up my coffee and watched them from the table.

CHAPTER 20

Braiding Lesson

WYATT

I left The Lantern after lunch and picked Knox up at the station.

The shop was out past the 215 on Boulder Highway. It was one of those places set back from the road with bikes lined up outside and a waiting room that smelled like rubber and chain lube. Knox's motorcycle had been there for three weeks, and they'd finally called that morning to say it was ready.

He circled the bike twice before he even touched it. Checked the tires, the brakes, ran his hand along the exhaust. He signed the paperwork, took it around the block, and came back smiling like a kid on Christmas.

We stopped for gas and water a few miles from home.

"You want anything to eat?" I asked.

Knox didn't answer. Two women in scrubs were at the register. Knox's eyes found them before his feet stopped moving. He watched them through the register, out the door, across the parking lot to their car. He didn't say anything.

"You know, you could just go talk to her." I handed him a water bottle.

He took it. "Who?"

"Any nurse. Every time we're near a hospital or anyone in scrubs, you do this."

"I don't do anything."

"You just tracked those two women across the entire store."

Knox unscrewed his bottle and took a long drink. "Look who's talking. When are you going to ask Andy out?"

"We're not talking about me."

"We are now."

Knox finished his water and tossed the bottle. He put his hand on my shoulder on the way past.

"Don't sit on it too long, brother."

The smell of coffee came through the front door before I opened it. The house felt warmer than usual, and I could hear laughter coming from the kitchen. Barb's low chuckle, Birdie's squeal, and a third voice I recognized but wasn't expecting.

"Daddy!" Birdie looked up from her coloring.