After Archer left I’d stopped by Katy’s office to thank her for keeping him calm, but she was on the phone. I could hear the person on the other line asking what time she got home with Bee.

“I don’t get off until five, so by the time I make it back, it is usually six. I can meet you all wherever you’re going. Don’t wait for me.”

The person on the other line said something, and I heard my name.

“I can’t do that.”

“Do what?” I whispered as I moved to sit on the edge of her desk so I could hear the person on the other line. It was Sophie, and she was going through all the reasons why Katy should leave and let me get Bee. I whispered, “Is that Sophie?”

Katy nodded.

“She wants you to go somewhere?” I moved my fingers in a generic sign language for walking.

Katy didn’t answer me, just held up a finger.

“I’ll get Bee,” I whispered, and she rolled her eyes and shushed me

“We’ve got to get stuff ready for Ariel’s bachelorette party.” I heard Sophie say.

They finished their call and Katy hung up.

I twisted so that I was facing her and made myself comfortable. “So, what’s up?”

“She was trying to see if I could help with a few things for Ariel’s party. It’s just her and Stella right now. Piper is getting off early, but still, none of them will be there until right at six. So, she was just trying to see when I could get there.”

“Go. Have fun. I’ll pick up Bee.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“I’ll call the community center and let them know to expect you.”

Katy left a few minutes later, and I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Carter.

Me: At the community center, do you go inside or do they bring the kids out to you?

Carter: You go in and sign them out.

Me: Is that all?

Carter: Why?

Me: I’m picking Bee up.

Carter: Aren’t you cute?

Me: Fuck you.

Carter: :)

Me: No. Don’t ever do that again. I never want to see that emoji shit coming from you.

Carter: ❤ :)

Me: Goodbye

I moved to put my phone back in my pocket, but it vibrated, alerting me to another text message.

Carter: Welcome to the club.

Me: What club?

Carter: LOL

Me: What club?

Carter: You’ll find out.

Slamming my phone down, I turned back to my computer, but I couldn’t fucking concentrate. It hadn’t even been thirty minutes since Katy left. My mind was whirling with questions. What club? Where should I take Bee? Would she be excited? Finally, giving up my day as a loss, I turned everything off and headed out of my office.

“Damon.” I turned at the sound of my father calling me.

“Hey, Pops, what’s up?”

“You cutting out early today?”

“Yeah. Have some errands to run.”

“You look a little tense,” he said, but his eyes were lit with amusement.

“Fuck. Who texted you? I’m going to murder them.”

“Ah, now why would you do that? We’d never know anything going on.” Pops held up his phone. “Like I always said, telegraph, telephone, tell-a-Sophie.”

“That about sums it up.”

“Pops, Carter said something.” My father raised a brow in curiosity. “He said welcome to the club.” Pops let out a chuckle. “What club? Kid club because I’m picking up Bee?”

“No. I think he’s referring to the club where you finally admit that you’ve got it bad for a girl and would do just about anything to make her smile.”

“Oh.”

“Is he right?” Pops asked.

“Not sure yet. I’ll let you know as soon as I do.”

“You do that. Now go have fun with that little girl.”

I gave a double knock on his doorframe and headed to my truck. Ten minutes later, I was walking into the large brick building. The woman sitting just inside the door stopped me and asked for my ID, so I handed it over so she could check me in and verified the information.

“Would you like to wait here for me to get Bee or would you like to get her?

“I’d like to surprise her if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. You’ll just need to come back through the building to exit.” She led me to the back entrance and pointed out to a small area of the field. “If I’m not mistaken, that’s probably her.”

“Thanks.” I gave a wave and headed down the steps.

Bee was staring up at the sky, hands behind her head and feet crossed as she gazed totally at peace. I was a little jealous of how relaxed and carefree she appeared.

“So, whatcha looking at?”

“Damon, you’re here. Did you come to play with me?”

“Better. I came to spend the day with you. Your mom said that I could get you. We have big plans.”

“Really? I don’t have to stay here all evening?”

“Nope.”

I stretched out beside her, taking the same position and staring up at the sky. “So, what are we looking at?”

“Nothing, I’m just imagining.”

“What are you imagining?

“Clouds. I see things in the clouds.”

“You mean like a dog?” I looked around and then pointed to one over to the left. “That one looks like it has a face and snout?”

“Yep, exactly like that. Her name is Cricket.”

“Oh, you already saw the dog?”

“I always look for a dog.”

There was a longing in her voice I took note of. “What else do you see?”

“A castle just like your house. I’d have my own room forever, and Mom would have hers.”

My house a castle? I wanted to give this girl and her mother those things. A dog, my house . . .

“Why don’t we go and we can talk about all the things you see in the clouds while we’re driving? We’re going to have some fun.” Standing, I held out my hand and pulled Bee up. We headed back through the building and got into my truck.

First stop, Kelly’s Ice Cream. Yeah, I knew that I was royally sucking up, but I didn’t care. “What’s your favorite flavor?” I held the door open for her.

“Chocolate with sprinkles.”

“Do you get it in a cup or a cone?”

“Cup. I don’t like cones.”

“All righty then.” I did my best impression of Jim Carrey before ordering Bee’s ice cream along with a double scoop of coconut for me.

“Why don’t you grab us some napkins and a table while I pay?”

I joined Bee in the booth and took a quick bite. “Next week is your mom’s birthday. I thought we could go out so you could get her something. Would you like that?”

“I don’t know.”

“What don’t you know?”

“I don’t know. I don’t have money.”

“I have money. You just pick something out that you want to give her, okay?”

The door constantly opened and closed with people coming in for ice cream as Bee and I sat and ate.

“You about ready?” Bee had the cup up to her face and was licking the inside.

Bee nodded her agreement with a face full of ice cream.

“You enjoyed that ice cream, didn’t you?” asked an older woman who had just walked in holding onto her husband’s arm.

“Duhhh,” Bee replied, showing her the empty cup.

I wanted to chuckle but fought to hold it back.

“Looks like it. Did you share any with your daddy?”

I froze at the woman’s words and looked at Bee, who stared at me. “I don’t have a dad.” Bee’s voice cracked, and for the first time, this eight-year-old who was always so happy seemed to have a chink in her armor.

The woman’s face was full of apology, and I gave her a small nod of understanding. Reaching across the table, I grabbed ahold of Bee’s sleeve and tugged. “Hey, it’s okay. She didn’t know. She didn’t mean anything by that.”

“Damon?”

“Yeah, Bee bug?”

“Are you going to stay around?”

“I hope so if you let me. Will you let me stay around?”

She nodded. “Next year at school when they do guy stuff and we can bring our dad, granddad, or uncle, will you come with me?”

“If your mom says it’s okay, then I will come.” I hated the thought of her feeling left out of stuff and would go with her in a heartbeat.

“I’m always the only one without a guy. My teacher’s husband came this year, and he sat with me, but I didn’t know him. Last year, I sat in the library while my class did stuff.”

“I bet that was boring.” I didn’t know what else to say, what was there to say?

“Yeah. But Mom had to work, or she said she’d have let me stay home.”

“You know that I’ll go to anything you ever need. We are friends, promise.” I picked up a napkin and wiped off the table and then threw our garbage away as an excuse to give Bee a few moments to collect herself. After that, we headed to the Millennia Shopping Center; there were several stores all connected and we could walk around.

Helping Bee down, I held her hand as we walked and talked.

We found a gift for her mom, a few Barbies for Bee, and a unicorn outfit that was, and I quote, “to die for.”

“I’m glad school’s out.” Bee looked up at me as we added another item to our pile of stuff to purchase. “I didn’t like Tawney, and she didn’t invite me to her party.”

“Why didn’t she?”

“She said it was only for her friends, and we weren’t friends. Besides, it’s her birthday and people bring gifts and she said that I probably couldn’t afford a gift anyway.”

“She said all of that?”

“Yeah. She’s mean.”

“She sounds mean.” Overall, I thought kids were cute and sweet, but I already didn’t like this Tawney kid. “Why not have your own party?”

“Damon, can I tell you something?” Her lips were pinched as if she were weighing each word before she spoke it.

“You can tell me anything.”

“And you won’t tell anyone, cross your heart?”

I made a cross-my-heart sign.

“It would get Mom into a lot of trouble. We’re saving money, but it’s hard. We sleep in houses that aren’t ours. Mom works to pay the people back. But I’m never allowed to crawl under the covers. I have to sleep on top so we don’t ruin anything.”

Her confession crushed me since I already knew what they had been doing, but for her to trust me enough to tell me threatened to shatter me. “Well, not anymore. You can stay at my house as long as you want. You can have that bedroom as long as you want.”

“It’s mine?”

“If you want it. I don’t have kids, and I kind of like you as if you were my kid.” I gave her hand a light squeeze.

“I don’t have a daddy, and I kind of like you as if you were my daddy too.”