Page 51 of Slap Shot Daddies

Now, here I am, pondering my place in the realm of relationships. Perhaps I’m too much for one woman to handle, or maybe I’ve built walls too high to let myself believe in something genuine again.

But what if the answer isn’t about one woman at all? What if it’s about sharing life with three guys and one woman: dividingthe burden, the pressure, the emotions, so none of us feels overwhelmed?

It’s an unfamiliar path, but unfamiliar might be exactly what I need. What we need. But for it to work, Kenzie would have to embrace it wholeheartedly, just as the rest of us would.

I let out a sigh and reach for my phone, fingers tapping against the screen as it lights up in response to my touch. I type out a message, the words forming a bridge between thoughts and action.

>> Want to go for a run with me tomorrow morning?

The anticipation is brief, and soon her reply flickers onto the screen.

>> Depends. How early are we talking?

A smirk tugs at my lips.

She’s intrigued, and that's the first step.

It’s an unfamiliar path, but unfamiliar might be exactly what I need. What we need.

I reply quickly.

>> Five AM. I’ll take you somewhere special.

Kenzie takes a few minutes to respond. I imagine her nestled under her blankets, deliberating whether she truly wants to commit to waking up at such an ungodly hour.

The phone screen remains still for a moment longer, and then the familiar bubbles appear, signaling her reply.

>> Ugh, fine. But I have a flight at one. I can’t be late.

I reassure her.

>> Don’t worry. You’ll make it.

I lean back, feeling a sense of triumph, and let my phone rest on my chest.

Kenzie is a puzzle. She presents a facade of independence, as if she doesn’t need help or attention, yet I sense a deeper yearning beneath her exterior.

It’s this intricate duality that captivates me, drawing me into her world with an irresistible pull.

I close my eyes, attempting to silence my racing thoughts, but memories flood my senses with vivid intensity. The memory of her skin, soft and warm, the way her eyes met mine that unforgettable night at Ally’s party, the electric sensation of her body pressed against mine, it’s all-consuming, a tidal wave of emotions that sweeps me away.

I find myself wondering about the dimensions of her life beyond the clinic, outside the confines of her professional facade. What is she like when she’s free, unburdened by the expectations of work?

I ache to unravel her secrets, to explore the depths of her being.

A smirk tugs at my lips. She’s intrigued, and that's the first step.

Then, a pang of sadness follows.

Kenzie’s going home.

The thought hangs heavily in my mind, like a dense fog.

I don't know much about her family, but what I do know is enough to stir my curiosity. Her reaction when we asked if she wanted us to call her parents? That was telling, a flicker of something deep and unresolved flashing in her eyes.

She doesn’t want to go, that much is clear. And yet, she’s still going. I want to ask her about it, to pry into the shadows that cloud her thoughts, but I don’t.

I understand the tangled web of family issues all too well.

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