Page 68 of Between the Lines

“Sorry, man, Morgan and I are brunching with her parents.”

“Did you just say brunching?” I raise my brows. “Get your domesticated ass off my property.”

As he leaves with a smile and a wave, my eyes fall back to the girl who’s hijacked my mind. And the little one who’s whittled her way into my heart.

“I didn’t know you were training for the NFL,” Fia teases, her green eyes scanning my bare chest as I approach her. I’m still a sweaty mess.

“Had to work off that entire pint of ice cream you forced me to eat.” I pat my exposed abs.

Fia’s mouth drops open. “I did not force you to do anything!”

It’s a strong reaction and the pause stretches between us. I get the feeling she really means anything. She didn’t force me to stay until well past she fell asleep . . . or hold her in my arms.

“That wasn’t meant to be a complaint.” I throw my hands up with a smile.

Fia kneels in the grass, her blue sundress showing off her legs. Daisy hands her a dandelion she yanks from the ground, and Fia smiles, accepting it graciously.

“Thank you, baby,” she coos.

Then Daisy turns around, waddling towards me.

Oh crap.

I squat down, despite my quads burning beyond comprehension.

When I grin at her, opening my palm, she hesitantly places a rock gently in it. I glance down at it, my brows stitching.

“Thank you,” I reply softly, and the toddler stares with a contemplative look on her round face. I clear my throat, slipping the rock into my pocket as I stand.

“Hey . . .” I start and Fia grows still. “You didn’t have any interest in going to that awards dinner, did you?”

She tucks her long bangs behind her ears, trying to hide the pink flush of her cheeks. “Oh, no,” she replies with a little chuckle, but it’s not convincing. “I don’t think I even own anything nice enough for something like that anyway.”

With my hands shoved into my pockets, I shrug. “Right. Well, I didn’t want you to get the idea that this isn’t a big deal—these kinds of dinners just aren’t my thing. I went to enough events like this with my parents growing up.”

Fia sucks her lips in, eyes cast down. “Yeah, no, I get it. It’s okay.”

If it’s okay, then why is my stomach in knots as I’m standing here in front of her.

“You deserve to be recognized for this, too,” I say. “For the award.”

“I have a family thing next weekend anyway,” she adds, looking up at me.

The sun hits Fia’s face as she sways, barefoot in the grass, watching me, waiting for me to say something.

Anything.

“Oh cool, cool.”

Fia leans down, smoothing Daisy’s hair. “By the way, I was going to text Eddie and ask if I could get a look at the house on Monday. I’d like to see the progress with my own eyes.”

They are supposed to be installing the new AC unit on Monday, and I don’t exactly want her to see that, or stress about how to pay me back for that, too.

I palm my chest, shaking my head. “You have your hands full—” My gaze darts towards Daisy, who’s shoving an acorn in her mouth.

“Shoot!” Fia reaches down, fishing it out of her daughter’s mouth.

Yeah, it’s a lie by omission, but I’m helping her. That’s got to count for something, right?