Page 93 of One Kind Goal

Chapter Fifteen

“Shh, baby,” Morgan crooned as she held Nia and rocked slightly. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

“Where’s . . . Daddy?” Nia gasped, tears still streaming down her round cheeks. Her dark lashes were soaked. Nia’s hair was also wet with sweat, letting Morgan know exactly how worked up the girl had gotten herself.

A part of Morgan wanted to growl at Carina for putting the kid in this state. It could have all been avoided if they’d worked together to quell the online uproar instead of Carina being so rash. Growling would get Morgan nowhere though, and from the look of things, Alan had taken control of Carina, having guided her to her feet and gotten her to sit in a chair at the kitchen table.

“Your daddy is on his way here,” Morgan said. “I’m sure he’ll be here soon. He loves you so much, Nia. He wants to see you.” She glanced up at Carina. “He’ll do whatever it takes to spend time with you.”

Nia’s arms squeezed Morgan’s middle as the girl cried on Morgan’s jacket. “I didn’t want to leave Vermont yet. I wasn’t done having fun with you.”

“I know, baby. I know.” Morgan smoothed Nia’s curls then repositioned her on her lap. “We’ll have more fun. I promise we will.”

Nia’s crying subsided as she cuddled against Morgan, but her breathing was staccato as she inhaled and exhaled.

“Do you want a drink of water?” Morgan asked because the poor kid looked spent.

Nia nodded and Alan went to the sink. He returned a minute later with a filled plastic cup which he handed to Morgan. Nia drank heartily then snuggled back into Morgan.

Rubbing her back, Morgan met Carina’s stare. “We broke our promise to you,” she said. “Nia ended up online. For that, we are so sorry, but please, don’t punish Sawyer for something that was out of his control. He only wanted to show off this amazing person you’ve raised, Carina. He wanted her to meet his teammates and friends so they could see how wonderful she is too.”

Morgan squeezed her eyes closed. When she opened them again, she said, “I lost my own father when I was fifteen. I miss him every single day. Nia has the chance to be with her father. Don’t deprive them both of something so special. Please.”

Alan sat in the chair next to Carina’s and slid his arm around her. “I think you should listen to what Morgan is saying.”

Carina’s gaze flicked to Alan. At first the woman looked as if she wanted to snap the man in two. Instead Carina heaved in a big breath then her body deflated like a balloon. She dropped her forehead to her hands as her elbows rested on her knees.

“We’ve got people working on changing the online narrative,” Morgan said as she took the tissues Alan handed her and dabbed at Nia’s wet cheeks. “Look on the web. The Anchors have probably posted an official statement about last night by now.

Alan leaned to the side and pulled out his phone. After a few taps on the screen, he raised his eyebrows. “Oh, wow. Carina, they’ve done a good job.” He held his phone out to her.

At first, Carina stared unblinkingly at Nia in Morgan’s lap. The child was quiet now, her breathing nearly normal and her eyes closed as if she might fall asleep. Sucking in a breath, Carina took the phone and scrolled through whatever was there.

Morgan prayed Cody and Lawrence had done a good job spinning the story in a new direction. She held her breath as Carina’s eyebrows furrowed, relaxed, furrowed, relaxed. She wished she’d had a chance to check out what was online for herself first.

Carina ran a finger under her eyes and sniffed loudly as she handed Alan’s phone back to him. “It says you aren’t Nia’s mother. It also says Nia is Sawyer’s, but it doesn’t expose Nia’s name or picture her again. The fan that started trouble has a police record.”

Morgan wasn’t surprised that douchebag had been on the wrong side of the law before. Only a complete idiot acts like that guy did last night.

“The bottom line is Sawyer only confronted that fan because he’d been rude to me and knocked my brother to the ground for no reason,” Morgan said. “Sawyer wouldn’t have had to get involved if my brother and I weren’t there. He was defending us. He was being the absolutely best guy he always tries to be.” Morgan looked down to Nia, who appeared to be sleeping now. “And he would do anything to make sure Nia was happy and cared for and loved.”

“That’s true.”

Morgan whipped her head around to see Sawyer standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

“Door was wide open.” He arrowed a thumb over his shoulder toward the front door then kneeled beside Morgan, his casted hand going to her back while his other hand brushed against Nia’s cheek.

“Daddy . . .” Nia said without opening her eyes.

“I’m here, Nia-bunny.” He looked up at Carina then back to Nia. “I want to be here for you as much as possible.” He dropped a kiss on Morgan’s cheek. “And thank you for coming here on my behalf, baby.”

Morgan nodded, her throat too tight to speak. When she looked up at him, Sawyer mouthed the word sorry, and she was more than ready to forgive him for striking out on his own instead of waiting for her.

Carina bent in half now, her shoulders shaking as she cried softly. “I . . . I snapped.”

“You were upset.” Alan gave Morgan and Sawyer an apologetic look. “It’s what you do next, honey, that will define this situation.”

She nodded against her knees then rose to sitting, accepting the tissues Alan offered her and swiping at her eyes and nose. “I mistakenly thought Nia would be happier if she didn’t have to deal with Sawyer’s fame like I had to deal with my dad’s.” She shook her head then held her hands out toward Nia in Morgan’s lap, Sawyer still kneeling beside them. “Clearly, she loves being with you. Both of you.”