Tears well in her eyes. “She’s my entire world, Easton. She’s already so attached to you….” Her voice trails off.
“Just her?” I ask, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her close.
“Not just her,” she confesses.
I want to scream at the top of my lungs that they’re mine. I want the world to know, but I settle for an internal fist bump, playing it cool. “Good.” I kiss her forehead. “I’m attached too, Ris. This house, it’s quiet. It’s simply a place for me to sleep. With the two of you here, it’s like you bring life to the place. It’s something I didn’t know I was missing.”
“The novelty will wear off.”
“Hey.” With my index finger, I lift her chin. “This isn’t because the two of you are new and shiny. It’s here.” I lay my hand over my chest. “I’ve enjoyed every minute that I’ve shared with the two of you, separate and together,” I add, just for clarification. “We can ease her into the idea of us being more at your pace. I won’t force your hand, but Larissa, we are more. More than I ever imagined I would want, and more than I could ever hope for. You might as well go ahead and get on board with that.”
“And if I don’t?” she asks. There’s a sparkle in her eyes.
Bending, I press my lips to hers. “You will,” I murmur as my mouth fuses with hers. Instead of words, I let my mouth convince her.
“Got it,” she whispers as I pull away from the kiss.
I can’t help but chuckle. “Good to know. Be careful driving home, babe. Call or text me when you get there so I know you’re safe.”
“I’m a big girl, Easton. I’ve been doing things on my own for a long time now.”
“I know that. But you don’t have to, not anymore. Drive safe,” I say, stepping back and opening her door for her. For a minute, she just stands there staring up at me. No words are spoken and her facial expression is blank. It’s like she’s checked out. As she processes what I just said, I start to panic that I went too far, when a slow grin tips her lips.
“Do you always get your way?” she asks.
I shrug. “I always fight for what I want.”
“And that’s me?” I can hear the disbelief in her voice.
“That’s you and your daughter.” Seeing I’ve rendered her speechless, I shut her door and smile. She just shakes her head, the same smile playing on her lips as she hits the remote on her visor for the garage door and backs out. I watch her until I can no longer see her before closing the door and heading inside to get my phone. Stripping down to my boxer briefs, I climb into bed and wait to hear that they made it home okay.I wake to the sound of my daughter’s voice. I open my eyes and try to focus on where it’s coming from and what she’s saying.
“She’s sweeping,” I hear her say. “You gots a game today?” There’s a pause. “You’re going to be on TV?” she says, her four-year-old voice full of awe. “You’ll have to tell my mommy that. I can’t tell time yet.”
I stifle my laugh. “Paisley,” I say, causing her to jump.
She whips her head around to look at me from her spot on the floor just beside my bed. “She’s awake, East. Tell her about the TV so I can watch you.” She then pulls the phone from her ear, and hands it to me, just to take it back. She lifts it back to her ear. “Bye, East!” She yells too loudly as if she needs to in order for him to hear her, then hands the phone to me. This time, I’m able to grab it from her hands.
“Hello.”
“Morning, beautiful.”
“Morning,” I say over a yawn. “Aren’t you supposed to be on a flight?
“We’re getting ready to board now. I just wanted to call and say good morning to my girls.”
Thousands of butterflies flap their wings, ready to take flight in my belly. “You practice today?”
“Nah, not really. We’ll stretch, watch some film, but that’s about it. Our game is tomorrow night. Coach has us going a day early so we’re not jet lagged from traveling.”
“More time away,” I say aloud without thinking.
“Yeah,” he agrees. “I can say it never bothered me until now.”
“Really?” I ask.
“I’ve never really had anyone to miss before. Sure, there’s my family, and I miss them, but I don’t see them every day. But with you and Paisley, it’s… different.”
Those damn butterflies are wreaking havoc. I don’t know what to say to that. Well, I do, but blurting out those three little words over the phone isn’t the way I want to do it. “Stay safe and have a good game.” I know it’s a shitty thing to do, to ignore his declaration, but that’s the only other thing I can come up with right now.