Sage smiled at her dad. “Just having a heart-to-heart.”
“Am I interrupting?”
I shook my head. “Come get in on this cuddle puddle.”
Calder chuckled. “A cuddle puddle, huh?” He eased down on my other side, pulling both me and Sage against him.
“That’s the technical name, trust me.”
Sage giggled. “It’s a good name.”
I drilled a finger into her side. “Just like Goose is a good name.”
Her giggles turned to laughter. “Did you know there’s a wildflower named Goosefoot?”
“Really?”
“Yup. Pinyon Goosefoot. It’s not that pretty, though.”
“We still need to try to find it. Make a pressing in your book,” I said.
Calder pressed his lips together to keep from laughing. “Pinyon Goosefoot?”
Sage rolled her eyes. “Yes, Dad.”
“What other good names are in that book of yours?” I asked.
“There are some weird ones, like Bastard Toadflax.”
Calder sat up straighter, taking us with him. “Sage, we don’t use that kind of language in this house.”
“It’s the name, Dad. Swear.”
“What kind of book did Addie give you?”
I couldn’t hold in my laughter. God, it felt good to let it free. As if the action unburdened all of the tension of the day. “Bastard Toadflax?” I laughed harder.
Calder held onto me but looked at his daughter. “I think she’s losing it.”
“I think you’re right.”
The back door slammed, and Birdie came in through the kitchen. “What the heck is going on?”
Sage grinned at her sister. “Hadley’s losing it.”
“I think we have to go looking for Pinyon Goosefoot and Bastard Toadflax,” I said through my laughter.
Birdie’s brows drew together. “What is she talking about? Is that another language?”
“Wildflowers,” Sage explained.
Birdie rolled her eyes. “Oh, geez. Not that again.”
Sage pushed up to a sitting position. “Hey, I like them, don’t make fun. I’m not mean about your skateboarding, even when you fall on your butt.”
“I don’t fall on my butt.”
“You did earlier today, right on the sidewalk.”