Beau felt anger flare hot in his chest. “Oh, baby.”
Palmer shrugged a little, still not meeting his eyes. “I don’t like to think about what would have happened if Master Derek hadn’t let me come here.”
Beau held her tighter, her broken voice breaking his heart. “I bet that’s scary, baby.”
“I’m so glad Master Derek was kind to me, but…” she shivered as she considered the possibilities.
Beau didn’t want to consider them at all. The thought of what could have happened to his baby was enough to make him nauseous.
“It’s stupid because it’s just a date,” Palmer said quietly, her shoulders curling in defeat. “I’m sorry I made a big deal about it.”
Beau shook his head immediately. “No, baby. It’s not stupid at all. Dates can hold big feelings. Sometimes our brains remember things even when we wish they wouldn’t.”
“I don’t like thinking about it,” she answered. “I wish my brain would forget it.”
“I understand,” Beau said. His thumb brushed gently across the back of her hand. “I feel the same way about July 9th.”
“Is that the day Ansley died, Daddy?”
“Yes, it is.”
“I’m sorry July 9th is hard for you, Daddy.”
“I’m sorry May 28th is hard for you, pretty baby.”
Palmer turned, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Beau thought for a second. “What if we change the days?”
“How do we change a day, Daddy?” Palmer asked.
“What if instead of those days being bad days, we make them really good days.” Her brow wrinkled slightly. He understood her skepticism.
“Good ones?”
“Yeah, good ones. You and I could pick out fun prizes or trips for those days. Something special just for me and you. Then when May 28th and July 9th come around, instead of remembering something sad, we’ll have something exciting to look forward to.”
“That’s a really good idea, Daddy.”
“I have them occasionally,” he teased. “I think since May 28th is very close, we'll have to settle on a prize this time. We won’t have time for a special trip.”
“A prize?” she asked.
“A really good one,” Beau said with a grin.
“I think I would really like that.”
Beau squeezed her gently and pressed a kiss to the back of her curls.
“Good,” he said gently. “Then we’ll start thinking about the perfect prize.”
Palmer sat up and looked at him. “Thank you, Daddy. For being so understanding with me. It.. It’s hard to believe this is my life now.”
Beau pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. “You deserve all the good things, pretty baby. Thank you for trusting me enough to give them to you.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Do you need to go potty, pretty baby?” Beau asked.