Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 234(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Fuck.
By the time Peyton arrived, having slept in a hotel room a floor below us, Julia had been bawling for a solid hour. She wanted breakfast, but she didn’t want breakfast. She positively seethed at the sight of a yellow dress Cathryn picked out for her, resulting in a tantrum that catapulted a headache into my skull.
I packed our bags while Cathryn dealt with dressing Julia.
“Can I try something?” Peyton asked, dropping his bag at the door. A duffel. We would get him proper luggage, I decided.
“No need to ask.” I gestured for the bedroom I’d shared with Julia.
He ducked into the room and greeted Julia. “Hey, you! I told you I’d be back, didn’t I?”
“Nooo!” Julia whined through her cries. “I don’t wanna!”
“Oh, but we do. Come on, sweetheart. Let’s find you some clothes.”
I peered into the room just as Peyton picked up Julia and positioned her on his hip. Then he discarded a pile of clothes on the bed, leaving two dresses behind.
“I like these two the best,” he said. “But maybe the purple one a little more. I’m right, aren’t I?”
She hiccuped and sniffled, wiping at her cheeks.
“I know I’m right.” He gave her tear-stained cheek a smooch. “It’s a great day for a purple dress.”
“’Kay,” she whimpered.
I sent Cathryn a pensive look, because I understood what he was doing, and it seemed so simple. He’d done the same thing yesterday. He was eliminating the majority of the choices. He was making it easier for her.
Jesus Christ. I scrubbed a hand over my mouth and jaw. Could that be it?
I observed Peyton’s carefree assertiveness while he helped Julia get dressed. He spoke with conviction and kept things light at the same time. He was certain we’d have a good time in Los Angeles, and then he revealed that his favorite flavor of ice cream was strawberry swirl.
“What do you like?” He turned the question on her. “You can choose between, umm…” He tapped his chin, pretending to think. “Chocolate ice cream and vegetable ice cream.”
Julia didn’t know what to do with herself. She squeaked, part amused, part upset, and flailed her way into the dress. “Focolate! Can’t have veggie ice cwream!”
“Are you sure?” Peyton narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “In LA, they eat all kinds of weird shit.”
“Silly.” Julia palmed her face, exasperated. And cuter than I could ever describe.
My God. I drummed my fingers across my lips, and Cathryn joined me in the doorway.
“He’s removing her options,” she whispered.
I nodded.
I felt like an utter fool for not trying that route before. I didn’t dare believe that this was some magic solution to everything, but perhaps it was one adjustment out of many that would help.
The strategy I’d tried—one of them, but the one closest to Peyton’s—was a period during which I decided everything. I’d picked her clothes, her food, her cartoons. And perhaps that had been a step too far, because she’d only fought me. Whatever I had said yes to had prompted a stubborn no from her.
Peyton was guiding her. He gave her some wiggle room so as to not box her in; he engaged with her.
Amazing.
“I think we’re ready,” Peyton declared, smiling down at Julia. “How about you and I go running in the hall while Daddy and Cathryn do the boring packing?”
“Yes!” Julia was on board.
And I was on board with him calling me Daddy.
“I don’t need my passport, right?” Peyton asked. “I mean, I brought it, but I read that my driver’s license is enough.”
“For domestic travel,” I confirmed with a nod. I gestured for the PreCheck lane and side-eyed him. “Have you flown before? You mentioned going to LA.”
He shook his head, his gaze flickering all over the place. From the signs and the roped-off area, to the TSA agents and the travelers up ahead who were placing laptops in the containers.
“I drove,” he replied.
My mouth twitched. He was endearingly lost at the moment, and I couldn’t help myself. I gave his neck a gentle squeeze and murmured, “Follow my lead.”
Mathis and Cathryn were behind us, and I could trust her to take care of Julia. She was, ironically, the easiest child to bring along for air travel.
Given that Peyton had checked his only piece of luggage, we went through security without a hitch. All he had to do was place his planner and two phones with my iPad.
“They didn’t tell me to take off my shoes,” he said as we continued toward our gate. “A buddy of mine gave me a heads-up about shoes and sometimes belts.”
“That’s if you fly economy.”
We reached the gate just a couple minutes before it was time for us to board. For this part, Julia wanted to be with me, and I handed over my briefcase to Peyton.
“I’d fly with you every day if it gets you in my arms.” I pressed a kiss to her hair as she locked her arms around my neck.