Page 45 of Taking The Shot

The three of them stood there, locked in a moment so perfect, so beautifully unscripted, that Constance knew—deep in her heart—her daughter had just found her place in the world.

And she was lucky enough to have discovered her partner, her friend… and possibly a soulmate.

Keith.

Afew hours later, they were all in the car heading home – and silent. Paige and Kayla were exhausted, Kayla having already fallen asleep and Paige wasn’t far behind. As Constance looked over her shoulder at her daughter, she saw the slow blink of exhaustion – and smiled.

Keith reached over the center console, lacing his fingers with hers. She looked up at him, met his quick glance, and saw such contentedness on his expression that she couldn’t help but stare.

She had always thought he was handsome, even from the first moment they spoke despite telling him she wasn’t interested… but this self-awareness, this quiet confidence, this knowledge that he’d finally found his way to fit into her family, knowing that they were going home to be alone, to talk, air out everything, and mend any and all rifts between them so they could be a couple, and whatever imaginary issue he had in his mind, wanting to take things slow – that was ending tonight.

As they pulled up to the house, he parked on the U-shaped driveway in front and looked at her.

“You carry Kayla, I’ll get Paige,” he said softly, glancing in the rearview mirror and smiling. “She’s asleep.”

“It’s been a big day.”

“Don’t I know it,” Keith chuckled and then smiled. “But come save me – I draw the line at shoes and socks removal.”

“I’ve got you,” she chuckled, smiling. She had noticed over the last twenty-four hours that anytime the kids got into something, Kayla yelled from the potty to come wipe her, Keith got this weird look on his face and shook his head, exclaiming –“I’m out.”

Children were… interesting, humbling, and inquisitive. Constance had been questioned about her boobs, her pudgy belly, her stretchmarks, and even a hair on her chin once by both children. Yes, having children wasn’t for the faint of heart and it started from pregnancy on. Everything was touched, poked, prodded, measured – then it swelled, leaked, sagged, or what-have-you— only to eventually become a walking, talking person with zero filter on their mouth who only saw the world and asked questions others wouldn’t dare to. It had to be a culture shock for Keith, and he was taking it better than some.

They each hefted up a sleeping child, carrying them quietly into their rooms and Constance quickly changed Kayla before moving into the hallway – and Keith was already there, leaving the room.

“Tag…” he chuckled.

“Tag…” she grinned, nodding.

Constance made quick work of stripping Paige free of her jeans, pulling the covers over her, and picking up the socks off the end of the bed where Keith had removed them. That thought made her smile thinking of her tender husband and his delicate sensibilities. The man was in for a wake-up call if they everhad a child together because that first diaper change would be shocking…

She chuckled leaving the room.

Walking down the hallway toward their room, she paused as she saw him sitting on the couch, alone, staring out the windows and waiting. She was kind of glad that they were going to talk out here instead of in their room because she really wanted to get at the center of whatever was bothering him and holding him back.

The more she got to know him, the more she realized what a sensitive soul he was deep down on the inside. He might pretend to be some tough hockey player, but he was like the ‘Dad’ of the team, and she saw it tonight. He spoke with everyone, shook hands, nodded, and smiled – but there was a look in his eyes when it came to her that was so different, so possessive, that it made her knees weak.

“Mind if I join you?” she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper as she moved closer, settling beside him on the couch. The warmth of his presence seeped into her skin, spreading through her like sunlight after a long winter. Her soul sighed with delight at the way his lips curled into a smile—soft, genuine, the kind of smile that made her heart ache with something deeper than just affection.

“I was counting on it, remember?” His voice was just as soft, but there was an unmistakable certainty beneath it.

She bit her lip, watching him carefully, wanting—needing—to be sure. “Just making sure you hadn’t changed your mind…”

His fingers found hers, lacing together with a quiet intimacy that sent warmth straight to her chest. “About us? Never.” His voice was steady, but there was something else there, something vulnerable.

Constance let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, but she still searched his face, her heart hammering. “Iknow it sounds crazy,” he continued, his thumb brushing gently over her knuckles, “but I like the view.”

A soft chuckle escaped her. “It’s pitch-black outside.”

His lips quirked upward, but his gaze remained fixed on her. “It makes me feel like we’re in our own little world—just you and me.” His voice carried a note of wistfulness as if he were savoring the moment, clinging to it. Then, he hesitated. His fingers tightened around hers just slightly. “You know it’s not you, right?”

The question sent a ripple of unease through her, but she met his gaze, refusing to shy away. “I’ll admit that I was wondering…” she murmured, her heart aching at the way he was getting to the point so quickly. He wasn’t one for unnecessary words, and she respected that about him. “For a while there, I thought things were good between us, but then… you just seemed to withdraw.”

His jaw tensed, and for a moment, and he looked away as if struggling with something deep and unspoken. Then, finally, he sighed. “I don’t want to disappoint you.”

She tilted her head slightly, eyes searching his. “You couldn’t.”

A sharp, almost pained scoff left him. “Uh, yeah,” he said bitterly, shaking his head. “I really could.”

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