Page 106 of Down & Dirty

She looked back to me, eyes wide and vulnerable, and I felt a cinch around my chest.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Thank you for coming.”

I leaned forward, my lips landing on her forehead. I kissed her and held them there, partly to feel for a fever, and partly because I just liked touching her too much to stop. “You never have to thank me for this, Sky. Ever.”

Micah came crashing back into the room, sliding under the blanket with such force he knocked one of the chairs over. The fort collapsed on top of us all, and laughter peeled out of the kid so loud I thought he was going to crack in half.

When we put on a movie, the three of us crowded on the couch together. Micah tucked into one side of me, while his mom stretched out on the other, her head in my lap. It was surreal at first. I wasn’t sure I was entirely fit for any of this. But as both of them snuggled closer, I decided to just enjoy it. It felt like a new level of contentment was unlocking inside me, and all I had to do was grab on.

CHAPTER 33

SKYLAR

Dad: Saw the highlights from last night. He’s looking good.

Sky: Yeah, that media training is paying off.

Dad: Better be for what we paid for it.

Sky: ROI dad.

Dad: How are you feeling?

Sky: Fine.

Dad: Headache gone?

Sky: It was gone later that day. I’m fine.

Dad: We can’t have you running yourself down right before the season.

Sky: The holiday season or the supercross season?

Dad: Both.

Sky: I’ll be fine.

Dad: You sure you don’t want to come home for Christmas?

Sky: I’m sure. We’ll miss you guys, but I really want to show Micah Maine.

Dad: You sure it’s the largest state in New England that’s drawing you three thousand miles from your family for the holiday?

Sky: Snow. Cold. Hot chocolate . . . Want me to go on?

Dad: Family matters, Skylar.

Sky: I know, Dad. We’ll be up there soon enough.

Dad: Okay, but let me know if you change your mind. I’ll book you both first class from Logan. Just say the word.

Sky: Thanks, Dad.

Dad: Love you, Skylight

Sky: Love you too.

Heading down the hall of the hotel in Anaheim, I tucked my phone back into the pocket of my navy pants suit. I was feeling better. One hundred percent, actually. I wasn’t going to give all the credit for my rapid recovery to Cory. Though his particular type of ‘healing’ had been quite nice, that soup he brought over was the real hero.

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