“Sorry I don’t have a tongue of steel,” I tell him, slurping back a gulp of white wine to cool the burn.

He lets out a small laugh. “It’s hot even for me.” He looks at Ava then back at me. “Do you girls want to hear something fun?”

“Yes!” Ava says enthusiastically.

Since he included both of us in that question, I figure it can’t be perverted. And so, I’m intrigued.

“What?” I ask, putting my chopsticks down.

Now he’s grinning to himself, like he’s about to tell a joke and is already laughing at the punchline.

“Bram,” I remind him, “what’s fun?”

“Okay, okay,” he says, biting his lip. He’s so damn handsome sometimes I forget my own name. He goes on, “How would you two like to go on a little adventure together?”

“Are we going to IKEA?” Ava asks.

“We are never going to IKEA again,” I tell her. “That’s a bad word in this house now.”

She pouts a little but eyes Bram expectantly.

“Definitely not going there,” he says. “But we are going somewhere that Ava has probably dreamed about going. I must warn you though, little one, you must be brave.”

Her eyes widen, but she nods, serious. “I can be brave. I get the ouchies, I am brave.”

He leans closer to her and whispers, “There are giant bugs there.”

“Bugs!” she cries out. “Oh, I want to see the giant bugs.”

Okay, I have no idea what he’s talking about but I totally don’t want to see any giant bugs.

“Are we going camping?” I ask him, trying not to shudder.

“No,” he says. “But before you say anything, just know that I’ve booked you off the next four days from work.”

“You did what?”

“Don’t worry,” he attempts to placate me, “I’ve already talked to James, it’s not a problem.”

“Yeah, but it’s still money lost!”

“I said don’t worry.” He reaches out and puts his hand on mine, giving it a squeeze. “Please. You deserve this trip. You both do.”

“I’m not sure anyone deserves a trip to giant bug land.”

“Even if it’s located in,” dramatic pause, “Disneyland?”

Oh my God. Did he dare say the word Disneyland around Ava? That’s like conjuring up Beetlejuice, except instead of Michael Keaton appearing, Ava turns into a rocket of a child, like she’s fueled by one million tons of sugar.

“Disneyland!” she shrieks. It’s ear-piercing. “Disneyland!”

I eye Bram who is clearly enjoying himself. “Please tell me you’re serious, because if you don’t take her to Disneyland now—”

“I am completely serious. And I’m glad you’re all for it.”

“Well, of course, I am. Who doesn’t want to go to Disneyland?”

He shrugs. “I’m sure most adults don’t. Didn’t you see Louise CK’s sketch? Personally, I think those adults are no fun, but I’ve got to say, sweetheart, I’m glad you’re not one of them.” He looks at Ava who is practically bouncing out of her seat. “And I can’t imagine a better place for Ava to have some fun too.”

I try to go back to eating my food but I can’t. I’m just so overwhelmed. Giddy. Maybe just as excited as my daughter. Later, when Ava is playing in her room and we’re in the kitchen putting the dishes away, I turn to him, grabbing him by the wrists and pulling him close.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I tell him, my guilt seeping in.

“I know I don’t have to do anything.” He kisses me on the forehead. “I want to. I can’t wait to see you act like a kid.”

And I can’t wait to have him there with me. “How did you know that I’ve always wanted to go to Disneyland with someone I’m…with?” Eep, almost said something else there, got to keep going. “The last time I was there I think I was eighteen and with a girlfriend and everywhere you looked there were couples making out. I’ve always wanted to be one of those annoying couples.”

“We can annoy the shit out of the whole park,” he murmurs, kissing me lightly on the lips. “But, perhaps, I need some practice first.”

I sink into his kiss, letting it fuel me, feeling the need swarm over my bones. I nearly forget that he was being a cheeseball. I break away, placing my hands on his chest, feeling his hard muscles underneath. “Thank you,” I tell him softly. “Ava has always wanted to go…I’ve never been able to take her.”

He nods. He knows. “Good thing is that, by waiting, she’ll not only remember it more but she’ll enjoy it more too.”

“So when are we going?”

“Tomorrow morning,” he says. “Bright and early. So get your arse packing.” He places a wide hand on my ass and squeezes. “Or I’ll get your arse spanking.”

I grin at him. “Maybe I can have both?”

He grabs me by the bottoms of my ass cheeks and lifts me up in the air until my legs are wrapped around him. He then takes me to the bedroom and we lock the door, hoping we can at least steal a few minutes with each other.

***

When Bram says early, for us it actually means the crack of dawn. It’s just about 6:30 am when he knocks at my door. Ava is in the bathroom brushing her teeth with her new bubblegum toothpaste after it took about ten minutes to rouse her awake. She only perked up when I mentioned the word “Disneyland.” I can’t blame her though. You know those old Disneyland commercials with the kids bouncing around in their pajamas in the middle of the night, yelling, “I’m too excited to sleep!” Well, that was pretty much last night in a nutshell. Zero sleep was had in the Price household.

I tuck my shower-damp hair behind my ears and open the door expecting to see Bram.

My mouth drops open.

It’s Bram all right, dressed in jeans, boots, and a simple tee with a sleek leather duffel bag at his feet. But it’s what’s in his hands that has me practically swooning.

Okay, I’m totally swooning.

“Is that for Ava?” I ask, almost breathless.

He nods proudly, maybe even a bit sheepishly. In his hands is a child-sized princess dress, the pink Sleeping Beauty one that Aurora wears at the end of the movie. It even has the crown and veil attached. I think I might just die right here.

“I hope it fits her,” he says. “It’s hard to find those Disney Stores anymore.”

“I can’t believe you did that,” I tell him, my heart thumping around in my chest. “That’s the nicest, cutest, sweetest thing I think anyone has ever done for her.”

“Well,” he says, rubbing his hands along his jaw. “I did it for her and I did it for you.”

I swallow hard, surprised at the burning in my eyes. No lie, I’m this close to crying. It’s crazy how such a simple and somehow ridiculously romantic gesture undoes me. No one has ever thought of my girl with such regard.

And there goes a tear, rolling hot down my cheek.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Bram murmurs, stepping into the apartment and enveloping me into a hug. “Don’t cry. It was nothing. I just thought she’d like to dress up as a princess on the ride down.”

“But you remembered Sleeping Beauty and the spindle and the needle and it’s soooo pretty.” I’m a blubbering, incoherent mess as I cry into his arms.

He puts his hand at the back of my head and holds me there. “Well, I’m glad you like it.” I know he sounds so breezy about the whole thing but, then again, how can he understand what this means to me? So many years and no one has done something like this, no one has ever thought of me and Ava that much. It’s then that I realize how tired I am, how much I’ve been pushed to the side, how much I’ve pushed myself to the side. It feels so fucking good to have someone care about us.

Just then, Ava comes out of the bathroom. She slowly walks over to us, her head tilted. She points at the dress.

“What’s that?” she asks, hope sparking in her eyes.

Bram crouches down to her level. “Who is your favorite princess?”

“Aurora,” she says smartly. “She pricked her finger on the spindle, just like I do.”