20

“What do you want to do today, baby?”

“Hmm.” She rubbed my prickly beard, her fingers getting lost in my whiskers.

“We can do anything you want.”

She sat up, resting one of her legs across me, her eyes wide and lit. “Anythiiing?”

“Well, within reason.” I pushed her curls out of her face. “I know, given the opportunity, you’d pick Disney, which wouldn’t be practical today, or to go to Uncle Jenner’s house in Utah—also not an option.”

“I want to have pancakes with the girls.”

“What girls, baby?” The braid I’d put in her hair last night had fallen so loose, and her hair was a wild nest. I pulled the elastic out of the bottom and tried to form it all into a ponytail, tying it together.

“Hannah and Syd.”

I chuckled, trying to think of a way around this.

“Daddy, I’m going to help you make a big batch of chocolate chip pancakes. And wear my sparkly pink dress. And they can come over and eat them. Okaaay?”

“Eve, I don’t think Hannah is available today—”

“Just call her. Pleeease.”

I glanced at