But this wasn’t just any kid, and it certainly wasn’t just any bookshelf.
This one had a top shaped like a castle. Nooks and cubbyholes as well as shelves for all her stuffed friends. It had to be pink. With glitter.
Lots of glitter.
“More turrets, Mouse?” I asked.
Her curls bobbed wildly. “Yes,” she hissed slightly, finishing off the Danish I had let her have. There were bits of icing all over the drawing, my lap, and her fingers and face, but she had loved it, and I wasn’t able to say no to her. She had been very polite and very excited when she spied the pastry box and asked if there was anything in it.
“I’m hungry, Mr. Van.”
I flipped open the lid and let her choose. Little minx took the last lemon Danish, then proceeded to devour it after she climbed up on my lap and continued to describe the bookcase of her dreams.
I huffed, my breath moving her curls around her head.
“We have two. Where could I put more?”
She scrunched up her face, looking so much like Liv when she concentrated, I grinned.
She tapped the paper again, leaving a smear of icing. “On the side.” Her eyes widened. “Oh! Both sides, Mr. Van!”
I leaned back, snagging a wet wipe from the dish beside me. It held an assortment of condiment packets we kept on hand, and I remembered we had a few of the wipes in the dish too. Judging by the smears on the paper, I needed to clean her hands.
“Hands up, Mouse. Show me those sticky fingers.”
Immediately, she lifted them, and I gently wiped at the tiny digits on her hands, removing the traces of sticky icing clinging to her fingers.
“Let me see your face.”
She tilted up her chin, facing my direction. Icing was stuck to her cheeks and lips, and I grabbed another wipe and cleaned it off.
“Good thing I did that before Mommy saw you.”
“Before Mommy saw what?”
I looked at the door. Liv leaned against the jamb, smirking knowingly. It was sexy.
“I had a treat, Mommy!”
One eyebrow rose on Liv’s face. Her gaze was direct. “I see.”
“She said she was hungry.”
Liv shook her head. “She’s always hungry if there is something sweet around.”
“Sorry, I didn’t want to bother you asking. I guess I should have done so.”
She waved her hand. “It’s fine. We’re going to the park, so she can run off the sugar. I’ll get her a decent lunch.”
“And ice cream,” Sammy interjected.
Liv sighed. “Yes. As a special treat.”
Sammy clapped her hands. “Mommy, come see my bookshelf!”
Liv crossed the room, staring down at the paper. “That’s, ah, quite the shelf.”
“Pink,” I informed her.
“Ah.”
Sammy patted the paper. “With glitter here. And here.”
“Wow.”
“Glitter, I have been informed, is mandatory for castle bookshelves.”
“Makes sense.” Liv tapped Sammy’s head. “Go get your coat and stuff, baby. Mommy’s done.”
Sammy slid from my knee. Without prompting, she peeked up at me. “Thank you for the treat, Mr. Van. And drawing my bookshelf.”
“You’re welcome.”
She patted my hand, wrapping her fingers around one of mine. “You can come to the park with us. I could show you my slide and where I hang upside down on the bars.” She leaned closer. “Mommy doesn’t like that part, but I’m good at it.”
“I think Mr. Van has other plans,” Liv said quietly. “Maybe another time.”
Sammy’s face fell, but she didn’t argue. “Okay.” She paused at the door, looking back. “You can come to the park anytime, Mr. Van. It’s a happy place.”
She hurried to Liv’s office, the sound of her rushed footsteps making me chuckle.
“She’s amazing,” I said to Liv.
She smiled and indicated the paper. “May I take that?”
I frowned. “How will I know what I’m supposed to build?”
She looked confused. “I don’t expect you to build it, Van. Neither does she. It’s a drawing. I like to keep her ideas in a book so I can show her one day.”
I stood and took the paper to the copy machine and scanned it. I handed Liv the original. “I’m building it for her.”
“I can’t ask you…”
“You didn’t. She did. I told her I would, and I never break my promises.”
“I’ll pay—”
I interrupted her. “No, you won’t. This is between my new little friend and me.”
Her eyes were filled with wonder. “How can I thank you?”
Words I never thought I would utter came from my mouth.
“Can I go with you to the park? I like happy places.”
Van
Somehow, as we headed to my truck, Sammy’s hand slipped into mine, a tiny fist nestled against the callused skin of my palm. She chatted the entire way down the hall, telling me about her favorite grilled cheese sandwich at the diner we were headed to before the park.
“Do you like ketchup with your grilled cheese sandwich, Mr. Van?” she asked.
I found the way she addressed me amusing. It made me smile. “I don’t think you can legally eat it without ketchup. Or bacon.”
She peered up at me, her eyes round. “Bacon? I never had bacon on mine. I love bacon!”
“Well, we’ll have to change that today.”
Liv laughed quietly, shaking her head and mumbling about the two of us being trouble.
When we reached my truck, she paused. “Um, we should walk.”
I opened the back door. “I know what you’re thinking, Liv. I’ve got it.” With a few simple tugs and adjustments, I stood back, grinning proudly. “Voila! Instant child seat.”
“Wow.”
“It was a built-in feature. Surprisingly, it’s come in handy at times.”
A strange look flitted across her face. “Oh.”
“I’ve gone fishing with a buddy and his son a few times. Jesse is the same age as Sammy.”
“Oh,” Liv repeated, this time with a smile. “Handy.”
“Yep.” Leaning down, I picked up Sammy, lifting her into the seat, and strapping her in. She giggled as I made sure she was safe, tugging on the straps and ensuring her hair wasn’t caught in the restraint. Once she was settled, I opened the door for Liv. “Madam, your chariot awaits.”
She peered at the truck with uncertainty. I tried not to laugh at the look of trepidation on her face as she eyed the distance between the ground and the door. Without thinking, I looped my arm around her waist and lifted her into the cab. She squealed and grabbed my arm as I hoisted her up, settling her into the passenger seat. She was a small, warm weight in my arms. Close enough I could smell the scent of her floral perfume. Her hand looked minute clutching my biceps, and somehow, I liked the feeling of the way my size dwarfed her.
As though I were protecting her.
Our gazes locked momentarily as I hunched over her. Her beautiful golden eyes had flecks of brown and green that caught the light. The dark circle around her irises made them stand out. They were unique. A strand of her tawny hair drifted across her cheek, and without a thought, I tucked it behind her ear, my fingers drifting over the silkiness of her cheek.