Page 58 of Second Chance with the Single Dad Goalie
“Hey!”
“Hey!!”
“What are you doing here all alone?” She asks, walking over, and settling into the armchair across from me. “Everything okay?”
“I’m okay. Have the kids gone to bed and sleeping?”
She nods, running a hand over her forehead. “Yeah. Completely knocked out.” She lets out a soft chuckle. “We had a long day. I should probably be asleep too. I’ve got to wake up to work later tonight.”
“Oh.” I smirk. “You wore them out today.”
She snorts, setting her glass down on the counter. “Me? Please. They wore me out. Every time, I don’t know where they get all that energy from.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Tell me about it.”
She sighs dramatically, rolling her shoulders as if trying to work out the exhaustion. Then she takes another sip of water, her throat moving as she swallows.
Silence stretches between us - not awkward, just…, lingering.
I find myself watching her. The way she licks her lips absentmindedly, the way a stray strand of hair falls into her face and she tucks it behind her ear. The way her fingers tap against the glass, slow and rhythmic, like she is lost in thought.
The hoodie she is wearing is mine - one I haven’t seen in years. I don’t even know how she still has it, but there it is, swallowing her small frame, the sleeves hanging past her wrists. A weird mix of nostalgia and something else settles in my chest.
She exhales, tilting her head slightly before meeting my gaze. “What?”
I blink, realizing I’ve been staring. “Nothing.”
She raises a brow, unconvinced, but lets it go. “Uh-huh.”
I shift slightly. “Um…, I just want to say, thanks for doing this again.”
She quirks a brow. “Well, I’m not doing it for free.”
A short laugh escapes me. “Still. They’ve been happier since you came.”
Her expression softens. “They’re amazing kids, Blake. Smart. Kind. Funny. You’ve done a really good job with them.”
I exhale, letting her words settle.
It’s not the first time someone has told me that. But for some reason, hearing it from her hits differently.
I scratch the back of my neck. “You know I leave for Ohio tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah, I know.” She leans back, crossing her arms. “The kids are gonna miss you.”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yeah. I’ll miss them too.”
Her lips part like she’s about to say something else, but then her eyes widen. “Oh! Before I forget…”
She stands and practically sprints toward the hallway.
I frown, watching her disappear. “Uh… okay?”
Seconds later, she’s back, something tucked behind her back. She stops in front of me, hesitating for a beat before pulling out a handmade card.
“They made this for you,” she says, handing it over.
I take it carefully, unfolding it.
