Page 160 of Fighting Chance

“Cancel what?”

And that certainly wasn’t meant for me to hear by the way she tenses. She pauses, slowly lowering herself to the couch before she all but sags into it. “Girls’ night tonight. I don’t want to cancel.”

“Bella will understand.”

“Of course she would. It’s just…” She bites her lip, a faraway look entering her gaze as she confesses, “It’s been a long time since I’ve had to cancel plans.”

There’s a hint of sadness in her tone, enough to make me straighten. As Emmy pulls her head off my shoulder, I whisper in her ear, “Why don’t you go upstairs and get Layla a teddy to cheer her up?”

Emmy’s brown eyes widen, my only warning before she’s wiggling to be let down. I place her down gently, only for her to take off like a rocket. There, that’s bought me all of two seconds alone with Layla.

Rounding the couch I kneel in front of her, placing my hand on her ankle. She’s wrapped herself up like a pretzel, hugging her legs to her chest. One look is all it takes for me to spot it—theterror in her eyes.

“I can’t sit here and say I understand what you went through growing up being sick, but I’m guessing when your body feels a little run down you start to maybe…panic a little?”

By the way she swallows thickly, I know I’ve hit the nail on the head.

Letting go of her ankle, I move forward farther, clutching her hand, the one that is twirling the fabric of her shirt—her nervous tell.

“Layla?” I probe.

“Superpower,” she mumbles before taking a deep breath. “I haven’t been sick since being back and yes it…freaks me out a little. What if I have a flare-up? What about Emmy?”

I can’t help but frown. “What about her?”

“I won’t be able to look after her. I won’t have enough energy.”

I can see how much this is eating away at her. Can see the turmoil wreaking havoc, the thousands of thoughts floating through her mind. Squeezing her hand in mine, I bend my head, catching her eye. “I will always want you looking after Emmy, and I understand why you’re scared. So let’s focus on how you feel right now, okay? Settle in to rest, and why don’t I call Bella and have her come over here instead of doing what you had planned?”

Layla stares at me for so long, so inquisitive and questioning, I feel like I’m under a microscope. “Why are you doing this?” she whispers.

“Doing what?”

“Taking care of me.” She throws her hand in the direction of the stairs where Emmy is turning the corner, her golden retriever teddy clutched in her hand. “You have Emmy to take care of. I’m just the nanny?—”

“You’re more than just my nanny, Layla.”

You’re so much more, I want to whisper.You’re everything to me.

Emmy comes running, barreling for the couch with her teddy outstretched in her arms. Layla closes her mouth, taking back whatever she was about to say as she smiles at Emmy.

“Oh Emmy, you sweet girl. You want me to cuddle her?”

Emmy nods, climbing up onto the couch and nestling into Layla’s side. I pull the thick blanket over the two of them.

Despite my stomach churning at seeing Layla’s body unwell like this, I can’t help but smile as I look down at my girls, cuddling together on the couch.

“I’ll go call Bella and make that chicken noodle soup.”

Turning on my heel, I leave the two girls that have become my world and pointedly ignore the stare searing a hole in the back of my head as one word plays on a loop in my mind like a broken record. Because if I look back over at Layla, I might do something stupid and tell her I’m in love with her.

Chapter 34

Layla

BELLA

on my way over