I froze.
I felt my cheeks grow hot in a way that had nothing to do with the summer air.
“Sweetheart, sweetheart, come here.”
I knelt and pulled Mia close, smoothing her hair and whispering nonsense into her curls.
“Harold, I am so sorry. She misses her dad. Sometimes she just… she says things.”
Harold nodded, but he wasn’t really looking at me. His eyes were fixed on the ground between us.
I felt my cheeks go hot.
“It’s fine. It’s fine, Alison. Kids, right?”
Then my boss stepped backward. Just one step, but it felt like a door closing.
“Excuse me for a minute.”
Harold walked toward the far end of the pool, where the string lights hung lower. I watched him leave while Mia’s fingers remained curled around the collar of my dress.
“Excuse me for a minute.” “Come on, baby. Let’s get you a cookie.”
