“Every single night.”She sighs heavily, the fatigue evident.
“I’m pretty sure she slept through the nights I’ve been here,” I say, smiling confidently.She raises a skeptical brow.
It is an absolute fact that Lenni had me spinning my wheels and jumping through hoops like a trained circus pony at bedtime.Every night, from beginning to end, it took me no less than an hour and a half until she closed her eyes and finally fell asleep.There were books to read, drinks of water to fetch, potty time, story time, checking for monsters under the bed.You name it, Lenni was sure to make it happen.
When I would finally close her bedroom door, I would come out to the living room, plop down on the couch with the TV turned on to hockey highlights, and fall asleep instantly.
Halle gives me a shrewd look, and my eyes grow wide, my mouth gaping open.“Wait, what?She woke up?How did I not know that?”
“You were sound asleep out here.Snoring loudly, I might add.”She laughs with a shrug.“Thankfully, you wore her out enough for her to go back down without too much work.”
“Ah, shit, Hal.I’m so sorry you were disturbed.”I offer an apologetic smile and lay a hand on her knee.“Here I was, feeling like hot shit, when instead, I literally fell asleep on the job.I’ll be better tonight.”
Halle shakes her head and scoots away, creating additional distance between us.I miss the heat of her snuggled next to me.
“Honestly, now that I’m back in the land of the living and you have your game, I think we’ll be fine without you.I can take care of my own daught—” She stops suddenly, the corners of her mouth turning into a frown, her brows furrowing together.“I meant…”
“It’s all good.I’ve only been in her life a short time, and, well, you’ve been her mother from the start.”I take her hands in mine, gazing into her eyes hopefully.“I’d love it if you give me a chance with her.”
And you.
I don’t have a chance to say that because my phone vibrates in my pocket with an incoming call.I let go of her hands and root around in the front of my jeans, extracting it to check the display.
“Oh shit,” I grumble, realizing exactly what the call is about.“It’s the team’s PR rep.I need to take this.”
“Of course.I’ll go grab some more tea in the kitchen.”
“Hello?”I answer, my gaze following Halle’s backside as she walks toward the other room.Damn, her ass looks amazing in those leggings, round and firm globes accentuated by toned legs.What I wouldn’t give to dig my fingers in the curves of her hips and feel her legs locked around my waist.
For a second, I get lost in a memory until the voice of Nat Stinson, our PR coordinator, shakes me free.
“Dane, it’s Nat.You didn’t forget about the video podcast interview we scheduled for you with Jones Hartley today, did you?”
I make a face and check my calendar app.Sure enough, there it is.I’d promised Ballas I’d do this interview, but I completely forgot it was today.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course I didn’t forget.”Halle watches me and I cross one finger over the other.“Yep, I’m on my way, just had an errand to run.See you in a bit.”
I disconnect the call and jump off the couch, feeling the weight of Halle’s stare from across the room.She stands in the middle of the kitchen holding a mug of tea with both hands, the steam rising and curling around her face.Her eyebrows are lifted to the ceiling.
“Gotta go?”she asks, the tone light and without censure.
I sweep up my keys from the coffee table and realize I’ve left a mess for her to clean up.“Yeah.Shit, I forgot I about this publicity thing before the game.”I snap my fingers as another thing dawns on me.“That reminds me… Lenni’s pickup after daycare is all squared away today.I’ll be there to get her, and Lundy’s wife, Helena, will drive her home and drop her off with you.”
Halle’s shoulders slump, and she drops her chin to her chest.“Oh, how embarrassing, Dane.You shouldn’t have had to enlist someone I don’t know to help me out.”
I step toward her with a grin, bopping her on the tip of her button nose.She stubbornly jerks her head away.
“It takes a village, Cherry.”I wink and flash her my signature smile.“So, get used to the extra help because you and Lenni are part of the Vikings family now.”
24
Halle
After Dane left my house, he sent me Helena Lundren’s contact information so we could arrange a time for Lenni’s drop-off.I’m not sure what I expect from Helena, but it isn’t such a gracious and helpful woman.
I had spent the afternoon cleaning up around the house.I’ll hand it to Dane, he did his best at keeping things neat, but I still found cereal bits under my couch and Lenni’s toothbrush hidden in her toy castle.
After the last dish is put away, I scan my house and try view it from the perspective of a woman who probably lives in a lavishly decorated multimillion-dollar home with expensive furniture and décor.My small, two-bedroom, mid-century-style home, while tastefully decorated, is a humble rental with cheap Ikea and estate sale furnishings.
