Seth doesn't respond right away. He just holds her, one hand moving slowly through her hair, like she's the most precious thing he's ever been trusted with. Which I already know she is.
He looks at me over her shoulder and the worry in his hazel eyes hits me square in the chest. Seth is someone who is almost always in control, who always knows the right, next move. I recognize his expression immediately. It’s the helpless of aparent who couldn’t be there when it mattered and doesn’t know how to forgive himself for it.
“You didn’t ruin anything,” he finally says. “You could never ruin anything.”
“Okay, you two,” I clap my hands softly, breaking the moment before it stretches into something uncomfortable. “We should probably hit the road.”
Seth finally releases Sawyer and steps back, but I don’t miss the way his shoulders drop just a little, like he’s relieved to have something different to focus on and process what happened.
“I’m driving home,” he says to me, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I blink. “It’s fine. It’s my car.”
“It’s not up for debate. You drove here; I’m driving home.” He holds out his hand for my keys.
I hesitate, because… well, yeah, it’s my car. I’m also running on fumes, and I’m exhausted. It’d be nice to get a nap in.
I fish out my keys and place them in his open palm. He gives me a small nod then grabs Sawyer’s overnight bag and heads toward the car without another glance back.
“Come on, girls,” he calls to us from over his shoulder.
“Is he mad at me?” Sawyer whispers, her brows pinching together as she watches her dad’s retreating form.
“No,” I whisper, pulling her close in a side hug. “I think he just doesn’t know how to handle this.”
She nods, her little forehead scrunching like she’s deep in thought. “He’s right, though. We have flown together a lot. But…” She pauses, her voice quieter now. “Every time I’ve flown,it’s been with him. This was the first time I flew without my dad. It was just… different.”
Oh.
My chest tightens because despite her officially being intweenage territory now, she’s still a daddy’s little girl at heart. This transition is difficult. Not quite a kid, not quite a teenager. She wants her independence, but she still wants to hold his hand sometimes, too.
I remember this time well. I started picking fights with my mom despite her being my best friend. I couldn’t wrap my mind around all the big feelings I was having.
“Of course it was different. Doing things on your own can be scary. Flying can be scary. I totally get it.”
I slide an arm around her shoulders and give her a gentle squeeze as we walk toward the car. “That’s part of the beauty of growing up. You get these big, new experiences without your dad that you have to navigate, and sometimes it’s exciting but sometimes, it can be overwhelming.”
She nods, deep in thought.
“And that’s okay.” I smile down at her, squeezing her tighter. “The challenges are where the growth is. I’ll check your schedule, but I don’t think you’ll have to fly for a game again for at least two more months but maybe next time, we’ll get two books. One for the flight out and one for the flight home. That way, you have a distraction on both flights. Deal?”
Her lips curl up into a smile.
“Deal. Let’s do fantasy again.”
I smile. “Totally.”
And just like that, I stop thinking about Seth’s hand at my throat, his tongue in my pussy, or the Wellingtons, and start thinking about what fantasy series I’ll devour next.
Chapter 22 – Seth
The soft, familiar strum of The All-American Rejects fills the car, low enough that it doesn't reach the backseat.
I check the rearview mirror as I merge onto the highway. Sawyer's cheek is pressed against the window, lashes dark against her flushed skin, breathing slow and even. Already out. She probably didn't sleep much last night, too far from home, too anxious about the flight, too determined not to let anyone see it. That's the Tremblay in her. Suffer quietly. Handle it alone.
I hate that for her.
She'd barely looked at me when we left the hotel. Climbed in, buckled up, stared out the window. I know what she's thinking. That I'm angry. That she inconvenienced me. That she's a problem I had to solve instead of a kid I'd drive to the end of the earth for without a second thought.
