She leaned her head back so she could see him. “I’m a princess.”
“Yes, you are. What are your magic powers?”
“I can run fast. And…and I…” She lifted her eyes to the ceiling.
“Hit home runs?”
“Yes!”
“That’s a very good magic power to have.”
“Can we play baseball?”
“Not tonight, but sure, we will tomorrow.”
“I brought my bat and ball. And my glove.”
“Yes, you did.”
Kendall returned, and when she sat next to them, Livie didn’t try to go to her, which made him absurdly happy. It seemed she’d forgotten her nightmare and was, unfortunately, wide awake.
“We need to get under the covers and go to sleep,” Kendall said.
He lifted Livie and set her on the bed. “I’ll leave you two now.”
“No, Cooper,” Livie said, tears welling in her eyes again. “You stay, too. The bad man might come back.”
How was he supposed to walk away and make his little girl cry?
“I can sleep in Livie’s bed if you want the other one,” Kendall said.
“We’ll have a family sleep-in. I just need to change into my jammies, too.”
“Don’t go, Cooper,” Livie said when he reached the door.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.” In less than five minutes, he returned, wearing sleep pants and a T-shirt. Kendall and Livie were under the covers, and Kendall was reading Livie a story.
“You’re back!” Livie said, grinning at seeing him. “You can get in bed with us. Mommy can read you a story, too.”
His gaze shot to Kendall. Amusement lit her eyes, and when she didn’t seem inclined to help him out, he shifted his eyes back to Livie. “I’m too big to fit in your bed with you and Mommy, but I’ll be right next to you in this bed.” Once he was settled in a bed that his feet dangled over the end, he said, “Okay, Mommy. Read me and Livie a story.”
She chuckled, then began to read again, something about a unicorn named Uni that wanted to find a little girl to have for a friend.
“I’ll be her friend,” Livie said. She looked across her bed to Cooper. “You’re a boy, but you can be her friend, too.”
“Do you think she’ll like me?”
Livie gave an adamant nod. “I’ll tell her you’re nice and you’re strong, so if anybody scares her, you’ll save her.”
His little girl tickled him. “I will.”
After Kendall finished reading the book, she slipped out of bed, turned off the light and returned to bed. “Time to go to sleep, sweetie.”
“Good night, Princess.”
“Good night, Cooper. Sleep tight.” She giggled. “How do you sleep tight, Mommy?”
“It just means to have a good sleep. Now hush and close your eyes.”