Page 51 of Single Chance

I opened the basement door, called my daughter, and got no reply. Pulling out my phone, I texted her, all too used to having to communicate this way because she existed with her earbuds on. One day they were going to fuse with her ears.

I shot an apologetic look to Rowan, but she merely shrugged as if she wasn’t fazed. When her gaze flickered away, though, I caught another glimpse of insecurity. For a moment, I had the urge to pull her into my arms and assure her it would be fine, but I shoved one hand into my pocket to stop myself. Wouldn’t that be awkward.

Sam took her sweet time, but she eventually appeared, wearing leggings, a cropped tank, an oversized black-and-white cardigan, and a frown. Her long hair hung down her back.

“Hey, Sam, this is Rowan. Rowan, my daughter.”

“Hi, Sam.” Rowan extended a hand, which my daughter shook. “I’m glad to meet you finally. I like your sweater.”

“Oh. Thanks,” Sam said, sounding surprised as she glanced down at her clothing. When she looked back up, there was a shy smile on her face. “Cute jacket. I want one like that but in white.”

“I considered white,” Rowan said with anOMG-me-tootone. “I figured I would get it dirty in less than a day.”

I looked between them, a little stunned. I’d been so worried my daughter wouldn’t give Rowan a chance, but twenty seconds in and they were bonding over clothes?

And here I’d been frowning because I could see my daughter’s navel. No dad wanted his daughter showing off too much skin, did he?

The two of them discussed where Rowan had bought it—Lake Girl Boutique here in town—and other color choices as I stood there mute, puzzled by this instant connection. This immediate female common ground.

Once that topic was exhausted, Rowan said, “I know it’s been just you and your dad here for a long time, so it’ll be weird to have someone else in your house. I’ll try to stay out of your way.”

“You won’t be in my way,” Sam said. “I mostly stay in the basement.”

“Well, I appreciate you and your dad opening your home to me. I really like this town so far, but it’s impossible to find an apartment.”

“We’ve got plenty of room,” I said. “Make yourself at home and let us know if you need anything, right, Sam?”

My daughter shot me a glance then said, “Sure. I’m gonna go back downstairs.”

“Nice to meet you,” Rowan said.

Sam paused. “Yeah. You too.” My daughter smiled, just a faint tilting upward of her lips, but it hit me that it’d been a damn long time since I’d seen her smile.

Once Sam was back in the basement, I stood there trying to process the past five minutes. “That went better than I expected.”

“She seems sweet,” Rowan said.

“She is.” Even if I hadn’t seen her sweet side for ages before today. Shaking my head, I said, “Let’s get you moved in.”

We had her car empty in three trips. As I set her biggest suitcase on the floor of her room, I took in the short stacks on the floor along the wall, where we’d placed everything else. My brows shot up. “This is really all you brought?”

Rowan nodded. “Everything I own. When I cleaned out my grandmother’s house, I knew I couldn’t take a bunch of useless stuff with me, so I was pretty ruthless getting rid of things.”

There were two suitcases, a few boxes, a duffel bag, a couple of totes… It didn’t seem like much at all.

“I was in crisis mode for like two years straight,” she said quietly. “My perspective changed. I gave up all my classroom supplies, which I might regret eventually, but I can’t imagine lugging them around now. I lost enough weight from stress that half my clothes didn’t fit anymore, so I donated them. I’ve got my favorite books, a box of photos and memories from my childhood, my toiletries and jewelry.” She shrugged as if to say,what more could a girl need?“Oh, and pillows. I’m super picky about pillows.” She laughed self-consciously.

“You’ve lost a lot, haven’t you?”

She swallowed and attempted a smile. “The only loss that matters is my Gram. The rest is just stuff.”

For the second time today, I itched to pull her into my arms. I wanted to reassure her, but I didn’t have the right to do that.

It wasn’t pity I felt for her but empathy. Loss was a bitch, but I sensed it was just the tip of what she’d been through. Watching someone you loved fail one day at a time… I’d done that with Erin in a lot of ways. I’d known my wife had a problem with pills. I could see her decline more clearly in hindsight. At the time, I hadn’t realized how far into addiction she was or how she’d been fading day by day.

Addiction and dementia were not the same thing though. They were different flavors of heartbreak. I’d had years to workthrough mine and come out on the other side. Rowan was just getting started.

She turned in a circle, taking in her new room, and when she faced me again, there was so much raw emotion in her expression. “Thank you, Chance. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t opened your home to me.” She blinked, and a tear plummeted down her cheek. She swiped it away in a hurry.

---