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“Daddy,I don’t feel so good.” Brynlee’s bright green eyes are covered in a sheen of unshed tears as she grips her pink teddy to her chest while she drags her feet into the kitchen.
Scarlet is sipping a cup of coffee while I make a protein shake before the crazy starts today. We have interviews scheduled all afternoon and a photoshoot at the end of the day, all to keep up the hype for next weekend’s exhibition. There are four fights planned in total, with mine being the last one of the event.
They’re supposed to be friendly fights.
But no one wants to lose.
Even if it’s for charity.
“Come here, sweetheart.” I lift her in my arms and sit her on the granite counter while I take the thermometer out of the kitchen drawer filled to the brim with supplies. Band-Aids, alcohol wipes, hair ties, and nail clippers all live in this drawer. Of course, I have the same things in a drawer in Brynlee’s bathroom too. But having them on each floor of the house has made my life easier more than once.
She opens her mouth for the thermometer, and I lean my cheek against her forehead.
Yup. She feels warm.
Scarlet stands and crosses the kitchen to run a hand over Brynn’s strawberry-blonde curls while we both wait for the thermometer to beep, alerting us that it’s done. And yes, she does have a temperature.
Shit.
“Okay, sweetie. You’re running a little fever. Nothing too bad. Let’s get some Tylenol in you, and Daddy will come up with a plan.” Once Brynn’s comfortable on the couch with her favorite Disney movie playing on the television, I try to come up with a way to handle this today.
Imogen is already at Crucible, ensuring everything is set up for the press. This event is her baby. She and Scarlet have actually seemed to get along a bit better lately as they’ve discussed different aspects of the exhibition.
Rylie and Jillian are in the Keys, visiting my parents.
When I walk back into the kitchen, I rest my hands against the counter on either side of Scarlet, caging her in and leaning my head against her chest. “Some days, being a single parent fucking sucks.”
She runs her fingers soothingly through my hair. “What time do you have to be at Crucible?”
I look at the clock on the oven. “In an hour.”
“Okay. So go get ready, and I’ll stay here with Brynlee. She doesn’t need to go to Crucible today, but you do.” Her hands lift my face, then her lips brush gently over mine. “Go. Get dressed, get to the gym, and do your thing.” She laughs lightly, then places my palm against her growing bump and pushes down.
When our daughter pushes back against my hand, I drop to my knees and kiss where my hand just was.
“Go, Cade. I’ve got our girls covered. Do your thing.”
When I stand back up, I wrap a hand around the back of her neck and kiss her with a promise for later.
A hunger. A thank you. A lifeline.
Is this what it’s like to have a partner?
Someone to pick up the slack when you can’t?
Someone to share your life with?
With one hand still resting against our daughter and the other gripping her neck, I get lost in the ocean-like depths of her blue eyes. “Scarlet...”
“Go.”
The words are there. Sitting on my lips. Waiting to be said. Needing to be heard. But not now. Not yet. “Thank you.” I kiss her one more time before pulling away. Her responding smile is small. Hesitant. Beautiful.
“Go. This is your event. We’ll be right here when you get back.”
This might be my event, but everything that matters will be waiting for me in this house.
Hudson Kingston isn’t fighting in the exhibition. He has a title to defend, and his fight is just a few short months away. You don’t risk getting hurt in a charity event before a fight like that. Instead, he’s agreed to be our MC for the night and is thoroughly enjoying that he doesn’t have to answer questions or have his picture taken. Instead, Hud’s reveling in watching us all perform.
