Page 86 of Teasing

I stop the waiter just to double-check. “There are no nuts or wheat or dairy in these, right?”

“No, ma’am.” He looks down at Rosie. “Everything is safe for your daughter to eat.”

“Thank you,” I murmur, shocked by his words but not scared in the way I would have been a few months ago. I pick up a plastic plate and pile on a few types of cookies for Rosie, who’s grown quiet. “Are you okay?”

She nods but doesn’t say anything as we grab two water bottles and sit back down in the chairs on the other side of the glass in the private box outside of the suite.

I hand her the plate and wrap my arm around her small shoulders. “Did what he say upset you? Because I promise you, I will never try to take your mom’s place.”

Her lower lip wobbles, and my heart cracks. “What if I want you to? What if it’s your place? You do all the mommy things. And you love me like a mommy does.”

“Oh, baby girl.” I pull her against me and rest my cheek on her soft hair as I fight back a tear. This little girl has stolen the thing I didn’t know I’d ever be able to give to anyone. “I do love you, and I will always be here for you.”

“Do you promise?” she asks, and the little girl in me, who never quite healed from the loss of my own mother leaving us, gets it. Abandonment issues run deep and strong and, for some of us, last a lifetime.

So I do the one thing I didn’t know I’d be capable of doing.

I promise.

I pull back and look at her sweet face. “Of course I promise. And I never ever break my promises.”

“Just like Daddy?”

As if conjuring him from her mind alone, the crowd erupts, and the commentators cheer. “Did you see that? Maverick Beneventi just got a third sack. That’s unbelievable. This Kings defense is on fire today.”

“Yeah, baby. Just like Daddy.” I pull her onto my lap and point out Mav below us, and we both cheer.

Rosie takes a bite of her cookie, and I kiss her head. “I bet your daddy is playing so well because he knows you’re watching him.”

I push her hair out of her face, and my heart stops cold.

Rosie’s eyes are huge and scared.

“Rosie?”

She blinks, scared.

“Rosie?”

She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

Oh my God.

Her tiny hand drops the cookie and moves to her throat soundlessly, and suddenly, I know—I just know.

“Call the ambulance,” I scream at anyone who will listen as she slumps against me.

No. Absolutely not.

I gather her in my arms, refusing to give in to the terror gripping me, and run inside the suite to where my bag is.

“What’s happening?” Lenny screams as Bash moves in next to me.

“Move, Emmie.” He rests his head on her chest, and I toss my bag upside down and grab the green pen.

“Call an ambulance,” I yell again and don’t wait to see if anyone is listening.

I pop the lid of the EpiPen and push up her white tulle skirt, tuning out the noise around me.

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