Page 46 of Dancing in the Rain

“So I appreciate you letting me into her life.”

Her throat thickened.

“She seems like a great kid. I don’t really know how to be a dad to her, and it feels kind of late, but…maybe she and I can be friends.”

“I think that would be very nice,” she whispered.

He nodded, his face tight. “Okay. Thanks. Talk to you soon.”

She closed the door behind him and paused, alone. The house felt suddenly emptier without his big, energetic presence. There was something about him…something compelling, something magnetic. No wonder Chloe seemed so taken with him.

She took a breath and straightened her shoulders to walk back into the living room where Nik and Sara were chatting. “Want me to check on Chloe?” she asked Sara.

“I think she’s okay,” Sara said. “Probably just overwhelmed. Give her a few minutes of alone time.”

“Areyouokay?” She sat and peered at Sara. “Are you happy with how that went?”

Sara smiled. “Yes.”

“We got your things moved down,” Peyton told her. “Thanks to Drew.”

“That man has muscles on his muscles,” Nik said. She glanced at Sara. “You don’t even remember him from college?”

Sara covered her face. “Don’t judge me. We’d been drinking. And itwasa long time ago. It’s kind of a blur.”

“I remember watching him play,” Nik said. “He was damn good. Big and tough. I remember once he blocked a shot and was out for the rest of the game—crazy! Who throws their body in front of a speeding hunk of frozen rubber like that?”

Peyton grinned. “I guess that was his job.”

“True, but even so, that’s a lot of dedication. Or stupidity.” She tapped her bottom lip. “But I didn’t get the impression he’s stupid.”

“No,” Peyton agreed and gulped her wine. “I don’t think he’s stupid.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” Sara said dryly. “Although I guess it’s a little late to worry about Chloe’s gene pool.” She pushed the lever that straightened her chair. “I think I’d like to have a nap.”

“Sure.” Peyton set down her glass and helped Sara out of the chair. “Nice that you don’t have to go up those stairs, right?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I can fix things up a bit more in here,” she said in the den, when Sara was lying down. “Just tell me what you want.”

“Thank you, Peyton.” Sara reached out and clasped her hand. “Again.”

Peyton smiled down at her sister. “No need to thank me.”

Back in the living room she sank down onto the couch. Nik had retrieved the bottle of wine from the kitchen and refilled both their glasses. “Well.” She let out a long breath. “Sara wants me to go with Chloe whenever she sees Drew.”

“Well, that’s probably sensible, at first.”

“I’m not sure what she’s worried about.”

“It’s just that you don’t know him yet. It will take time. Gradually she’ll be more comfortable with it.”

Peyton nodded. “Except we don’t know how much time she has left.”

Chapter 10

What the hell was he going to do with a twelve-year-old girl?

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