“What’s wrong? Talk to me. Whatever you need, I’ll fix it.”
“Well, that’s the thing. You just did. I spent the entire day building up anger toward you, and then you just…apologized. Like…you owned everything you did. I can’t be angry anymore.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“No, it’s really sexy.”
Whoa.“Did you just say I’m sexy?”
“I did.” It seemed to take her by surprise.
“Because I apologized?”
“I mean, yeah. For me, it’s not about your looks or your bank account, or the fact that you’re a famous athlete. It’s because you jumped right in with these girls. You care about them, and you show it. The whole reason I didn’t want to go out with you in high school was because you never got real with me. And now? You’re real. And I…” She lifted both arms and let them drop. “Ilikeyou.”
He'd never expected to see that heat in her eyes when she looked at him, hear the hitch in her breath. The low hum of desire running through him every time she was near kicked into full-blown arousal. And if the girls weren’t right over there, he’d pull her close, cup those rosy cheeks, and kiss the ever-loving hell out of her.
To win this woman’s respect, to know she wasattractedto him? It was fucking everything.
But with a slow shake of her head, she looked away. “We should go.” Almost as soon as it began, the moment ended. “Come on, girls. Let’s get our jackets.”
She got busy as though she hadn’t just rocked his world. But she had. His heart thundered, and his body vibrated with a mix of lust and excitement. He stood there, unable to get his legs to move, wanting more from her.
But there was no more. There never would be.
Because he was leaving the day after tomorrow. He might be back for Christmas, but those two days would be filled with activities centered around the girls. And then he’d be gone for the rest of the season.
That was, if the MRI came back in his favor.
The shiver of fear got him moving. No point in worrying about it until he got the results. He headed to the coffee table where the littlest one was hunched over, drawing with a red crayon. “Come on, Evvie. We’re going to your house.”
“Iworking.” Her irritation made him smile.
Already in her coat and boots, Paisley sidled up to him. “Are Mommy and Daddy there?”
Shit.That wiped the grin off his face.He’d been wondering how much they understood. Now, he knew.This is so damn hard. But he gave himself an internal shake because he had to get it right. Between Deborah’s advice and the research he’d been doing, he’d prepared for this moment. “No, sweetie. They’re not.”
She bravely held his gaze as her bottom lip wobbled. “Where are they?”
Fuck. It didn’t matter that Chase had broken the news to her or that the neighbors had reinforced it. She’d probably keep asking as she both tried to process it and hoped for a different outcome.
He dropped to a crouch, doing his best to ignore the blinding pain in his knee. These would be the toughest words he’d ever have to say. But Deborah had told him to be honest. To always be direct and only answer the question asked. “Your mom and dad died in a car accident, and they can’t come back.”
She stood there, scared, lost, and confused.
The vulnerability of this child ripped his heart out. “I don’t know about a lot of things, Pais, but I do know they love you with all their hearts, and while they might be in heaven, their spirits are with you and Evvie. And they always will be. Even if you can’t see them, you can feel them in here.” He pressed his hand to her chest. “But we’re going to your house right now, and you can take anything you want with you, so you never forget them. Does that sound good?”
“Are we going to live with you now? You and Hailey?”
He understood the importance of that question more than this child could ever realize. His biological mom died when he was two, and his dad filmed more than half the year. Cole’s number one concern had always been:who’s taking care of me?He’d had a series of nannies until Miss Mary had come to stay.
But while he might’ve understood, he couldn’t give her the answer she needed. He simply didn’t have it. “You and Evvie will stay here, and we’ll all spend the holiday together. But I have to go back to Boston to play hockey—that’s my job. I’m a hockey player. So, I can be here until my next game on Thursday. Then, I’ll come back for Christmas.” And right then, he knew what he had to do. “After that, I’ll be back here every chance I get.”Until we find you a home.“Okay?”
That seemed to ease her mind. She nodded.
“I’m sorry, Paisley. I’m so damn sorry for your loss, but I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you and Evvie are okay.”
“You promise?”