Page 62 of Trusting You

Carter blinks, and her suspicion is gone. In its place is a strange sort of glee. “By the way, there’s a reason I’ve wished you luck.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“She pooped!” Carter says brightly before swinging open the front door. “Enjoy!”

“She what?” I look down at the cute nugget, whose size should not be emitting the kind of smell that’s reaching my nostrils right now.

“You said it yourself, you need the practice. And you’ve been strangely absent whenever she’s had a really full diaper.”

“Wait!” My palm’s out as if mental force alone can stop Carter from disappearing into the hallway.

“You left your paintings!” I try next, even though she’s already shut the door. “I can destroy them!”

“I’m coming back later to get them!” her muffled voice replies. “With Pierce.”

Though Carter can’t see it, my lip curls into a sneer on the name. When I land back on Lily, it turns into a grimace.

“Dear God, woman. Whose side of the family does that come from?”

I lift, then hold her at arm’s length as we toddle to her nursery.

Lily looks at me with milk dribbling down the corners of her lips and grins.