My phone buzzes in my pocket. “Hold on a sec, your dad is calling.”
“Yes,Prince of Darkness, Destroyer of Fun,” I say as I answer my phone.
“What is with the nicknames—never mind,” Levi grunts as I stare at Amelia.
She giggles when I poke fun at her father.
“Yes?” I say again, waiting to hear why he called.
“Where are you?”
“At the Louvre. You said to take Amelia to a museum.” He said a lot of things but that one stuck, and I figured it would be a good educational experience.
“Good. I’ll meet you there,” Levi says.
Did something happen? Levi was only a few minutes late this morning. “Don’t you have to work?” I ask.
“I was supposed to, but the man I’m meeting with had food poisoning last night and is being taken to the hospital.”
“Oh, that sounds awful.”
“Yeah, I’m going to grab a cab, and I’ll meet you two inside. I’ll text you when I arrive.”
“Great.” I hang up the phone and shove it into my purse. “Your dad is going to join us today.”
We head inside the museum and get two tickets to see the exhibits. I try to keep an eye on the time and, after about thirty minutes, find myself glancing at my phone every so often for a text from Levi.
There’s barely a signal. I have one bar. I’m not sure if it’s my phone or the museum itself. But I still have service, just limited.
Amelia is quiet, staring up at the masterpieces but isn’t overly excited about the artwork. I read her the captions nearby, explaining what I can to her.
My phone buzzes with a text.
“What’s it say?” Amelia asks.
I’m here. What exhibit are you in?
“Your dad is here. Let’s go find him.” I take her hand and lead her toward the front entrance while texting Levi.We’re coming to find you.
In a matter of minutes, we’ve weaved through the museum, and Amelia lets go of my hand and goes running into his arms like she hasn’t seen him in weeks. “Daddy!” she squeals.
The smile on his face brightens, and he bends down, scooping her into his arms. “Are you having fun with your nanny?” Levi asks as he glances at me.
“Clare Bear is the best nanny,” Amelia swoons, and wiggles in his arms, resting her head on his shoulder.
“You’re tired already?” I’m surprised she’s sleepy. Maybe art museums aren’t her thing. She can’t run free through the exhibits.
“Probably from the jetlag,” Levi says. “Do you want me to carry you?”
Amelia nods excitedly and wraps one arm around his neck.
I don’t dare admit that I’m jealous of the kid, stealing away all his attention. But he needs to be there for her. She’s his daughter. And he doesn’t ignore me or forget that I’m beside him as we walk farther into the museum.
“Have you seen theMona Lisayet?” Levi asks.
“No, I was saving that for you once you said you were coming.” I nudge him as we walk, and while he has one arm around Amelia, keeping her nestled against his chest, his other hand grazes my lower back. “Lead the way.”
We’ve spent enough time here this morning that I’ve gotten a decent idea of the layout. First, we head for theMona Lisaand then wander through the museum to view as much as we can for the next couple of hours.