“Of course. What’s your name?” says Mateo. He has this down to a science, signing her book and taking a selfie with her in less than thirty seconds.

It happens again as we approach Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Paige looks up at it like it’s the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. I’m glad for Lisa and the guards now. Mateo is just so… approachable.

Two college girls want a photo with him in front of the castle. He hands their phone off to Lisa, who takes several photos while they’re jumping in the air. Paige watches this with her nose wrinkled in confusion. “Why do they all want so many pictures of Uncle Mateo?”

“Because of the movies he makes,” I tell her. Because he’s incredibly handsome. Because he’s incredibly sexy. Because he’s a great kisser.

They don’t know he’s a great kisser, probably.

The college girls go on their way.

“What do you think about teacups, Paige?” Mateo asks as we walk into the cool tunnel that cuts through the castle. “Spinning ones, I mean.”

“Spinning teacups?”

“Giant, spinning teacups. You think you might like to ride on one?”

“Yes,” says Paige. She walks faster, the sun in her curls, excitement lighting her eyes. We all sit in a blue teacup and Mateo and Paige spin it faster and faster until I honestly might throw up. Paige and I sit together in one row of the Dumbo ride and Mateo sits in front of us, holding up his phone to take a photo of all of us flying through the air. Paige makes us ride It’s a Small World twice, back to back, because there are so many figurines to look at. We never wait in a single line.

Guilt nags at me about this, but I don’t say a word. Mateo arranged for this whole day to be as easy as possible. As stress-free as possible. And it’s not just less stressful to be whisked to the front of the line. It feels much safer. Two of the security team go with us on every ride, but standing in line is an invitation to be available to people. I’m not hiding anymore. That doesn’t mean I want Paige photographed every second we’re here. Close proximity to Mateo means enough people are taking pictures of him already without waiting in the longer lines.

“There’s someplace I want you to see,” Mateo tells Paige after we’ve gone on all the rides in Fantasyland. “Are you hungry?”

She is hungry, and so am I. One of the security guards has gone ahead and cleared a space for us at the restaurant based on the Ratatouille movie. Paige is beside herself at the décor.