Page 57 of One Kind Goal

Sawyer: Wonderful. She spent some time seeing the inside of a helicopter. Think she wants to be a pilot now. :)

He looked up from his phone to see Nia giggling over something Austin had said to her as they played a card game.

Carina: Great. Last week she wanted to be a farmer.

Farmer. Right. Mommy’s friend.

Sawyer: She mentioned seeing farm animals.

He tapped his index finger on the side of his phone as he waited for a reply. His phone rang instead and he wandered to a huge window that offered an expansive view of the front yard.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hi,” Carina said. “I figured telling you about Alan warranted a phone call.”

“Okay,” he said slowly. “Give me a second.” He caught Morgan’s eye, motioned to his phone then to the outside.

She blew him a kiss before turning her attention back to the game. Somehow Sawyer felt that kiss though her lips hadn’t actually touched him.

He threw on his jacket and stepped outside. “Okay. Tell me about Alan.”

“Don’t be mad,” Carina said.

“Mad? Why would I be mad? Nia has met my friend, Morgan. It’s totally okay if you have a friend too, Carina.”

“He’s a great person,” Carina said, still sounding apologetic.

“How did you meet him?”

“I took Nia to the local library for a story hour. It was farm themed and Alan was there to answer the kids’ questions,” Carina said. “Of course Nia had a million of them and Alan was so patient and kind to her. I just . . .” Her voice trailed off.

“Fell for him?” Sawyer asked.

Carina was quiet for moment. “Yeah. I guess I did.”

“I think I know how you feel. Morgan has been wonderful with Nia too.”

“Why is seeing someone treat our daughter well so damn attractive?”

Sawyer chuckled. “I think because it’s a good judge of character. If they didn’t bend over backwards for Nia, we’d know not to bother with these people.”

“Truth,” Carina said. “She’s like built-in radar.”

“So I’m assuming part of your offer of letting me take Nia has more to do with this Alan guy and less about my injuries that took me out of hockey for the next six to eight weeks, yes?”

“Umm . . . maybe,” Carina said. “Alan invited me on a little getaway. He doesn’t leave the farm often. It’s hard with all the animals, but he wanted to do something special for Valentine’s Day.”

“I hope you’re having a fantastic time,” Sawyer said. “I know I am.” He glanced over his shoulder at Austin’s house, loving that Nia and Morgan waited for him inside.

“I am having fun,” Carina said. “I was actually going to ask when you wanted to return Nia, but if things are going well—and you haven’t seen any media snooping around—do you want to keep—”

“Yes!” Sawyer said before Carina could finish. “I’ll keep Nia for as long as you’ll let me.” He could barely contain his excitement.

Carina puffed out a breath. “Sawyer, I’m . . . I’m sorry. I’ve been so obsessed about keeping Nia from growing up like I did with a famous parent that I’m denying her the chance to grow up with a good father. A great father actually.”

Sawyer nearly tripped over his own feet as those words hit him.

“I still want to protect Nia from the media,” Carina said quickly, “but maybe you and I . . . and Alan and Morgan . . . can work out a better plan.”