Only the Strong, стр. 41
I remembered it, too. I especially remembered the heartbroken expression on his face when I’d disappeared to the other side. Neither of us knew in that moment if I would be able to return. Luckily, things had worked out, although we both remained traumatized by the event.
“I still feel as if I’m partially responsible for this,” I admitted. “None of it was happening before I showed up on the scene.”
“Hey.” He lifted my chin with his thumb. “You’re wrong. All of this was happening. We simply didn’t know. Without you, we still wouldn’t know.”
“Maybe.”
“No, definitely.” He swooped in and gave me a kiss. “It’s going to be okay. I know this is weighing you down right now. We’ll figure it out, though.”
I hoped that was true. “Yeah.” I forced a smile for his benefit. “It’s an omelet bar this morning, right? I guess I should get in the shower.”
His fingers gently brushed against my cheek and he leaned in for another kiss. “Do you want me to wait for you?”
I knew what he was really asking. “You want to be the one who bathes and dresses Lily this morning, don’t you? That’s why you’re up so early.”
He was sheepish. “Maybe.”
I didn’t bother to hide my smirk. “Go to her.”
“Thank you.” He gave me another kiss and then moved back to the dresser. “We’re going to talk about what the plan is for today before you run off with Bob and Zoe. Just FYI.”
“I figured. His name isn’t Bob, though.”
“It’s easier than his other name.”
He had a point. “I’ll see you in thirty minutes.”
He winked at me. “I’m looking forward to it.”
ALMOST EVERYONE WAS IN THE DINING room when I made my way down. Cernunnos was already seated at the table talking to Cillian. As the scholar of the Grimlock family, he seemed intrigued by the god’s very presence and peppered him with a nonstop series of questions. I found I preferred the idea of Cillian keeping him entertained this morning rather than the alternative.
“I’m not being obnoxious,” Sami announced as she stomped into the room behind me, causing me to glance over my shoulder. “You guys always say that but it’s almost never true. I’m being smart. Mom needs me to go with her.”
“No, she doesn’t.” Aric was firm as he shot me a smile and then focused on his offspring. “You need to stay here.”
“I don’t want to stay here.”
“Well, you have to.” Aric refused to back down. “It’s what’s safest for you.”
“Oh, that’s such a load of crap.” Sami was a huffy mess, her hair as wild as her eyes. I figured this was the hardest age for child-rearing. She saw herself as an adult and yet, to her parents, she was still their baby. The hurdles between sides probably seemed insurmountable. “I don’t need to be protected. I think I proved that in Hawthorne Hollow.”
“Really?” Zoe eyed the omelet bar with excitement before pinning Sami with a dark glare. “I seem to remember you inserting yourself into the middle of a battle and making it so Scout had to worry about you more than her enemy.”
“That’s not what happened.” Sami was stubborn to a fault. “I saved Rafael. I helped her. I should get a reward for that.”
“I happen to love doling out rewards,” Cormack offered, interjecting himself into the conversation. He placed a hand on the back of Sami’s neck and prodded her toward the omelet ingredients. “Let’s get you a reward right now. How do you feel about morels? I lucked out and got some for the omelets.”
Sami wrinkled her nose. “They taste like the stuff you dig out of the corners of your eyes when you wake up in the morning.”
Cormack cast her a sidelong look. “Do you eat your morning crusties a lot?”
She made a face. “No. I just ... I heard my mom say that once about eating mushrooms.”
“Ah.” Cormack’s eyes twinkled. “How do you feel about tomatoes?”
“Better than I do about morels.”
“They have three different types of cheese, too, Sami,” Aric offered as he drifted closer to the table. “You might not like the morels but I do. Come over here and I’ll help you pick your ingredients.”
Sami’s eyebrows drew together. “I can pick my own ingredients. I’m not a baby.”
“Fine.” For the first time since I’d met him, Aric’s expression told me he was trending toward the precipice of his patience. “Pick your own ingredients. Just shut up while you do it.”
Cormack’s lips quirked but I was happy to see he stayed out of the father-daughter squabble. Given his fondness for Sami, it was entirely possible that he might insert himself into the argument and make things worse. Thankfully, he seemed to understand that was a terrible idea.
“Speaking of babies, look who I have,” Braden announced as he swooped into the room with Lily on his hip. The baby wore a pair of pink pants and a white shirt that said “Too cool for school.” She also boasted a pair of sunglasses that were so tiny I had to marvel at them.
“Where did those come from?” I asked.
“Lily’s favorite uncle bought them for her,” Braden replied, grinning at his niece.
“I’m her favorite uncle and I most certainly didn’t buy them for her,” Jerry countered, although he grinned at Lily’s adorable face. “They’re a nice touch, though. Maybe we’ll play dress-up this morning while everybody else is at work, huh?”
“Are you staying home with her?” I asked, confused. Jerry owned a bakery in downtown Royal Oak and he was one of the most sought-after caterers in the area. He usually didn’t have time for babysitting duties these days, although he was more than happy to swoop in and get Lily riled up before handing her over to Cormack or Aisling.
“I am.” Jerry kept grinning