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No pressure or anything.
She squeezes me one more time before stepping back.
“Love you, Nat.”
I pound Brady’s chest. “Take care of her.”
“Always,” he answers. And I know he will.
I quickly jog the few yards to my dad’s house. The rain has all but stopped, but the day is cold and gray. Overcast skies threaten to dump more rain any minute as I step inside, and Callen comes running.
I pick him up and toss him high into the air.
His floppy hair lifts from his forehead, and a smile stretches across his face as he squeals with glee. “Higher, Cooper.”
When he comes down, I tuck him into me like a football and run him over to Dad. “I found something that belongs to you.”
Dad laughs. “Pretty sure I’m not missing anything.”
Callen pops his head up. “Me, Dad. Me. You’re missing me.”
Dad takes him from me and sets him on the counter. “We need to wash your face before Mommy finds out I let you have chocolate, Cal. Or you’ll get us both in trouble.”
Dad washes Cal’s face, then hands him off to Katherine for a nap. He leans back against the counter and crosses his arms over his thick chest, looking like an older version of Declan.
“Wanna tell me what’s on your mind, son?”
“Just thinking about everything I miss, being on the other side of the country.” Best way to lie is to anchor it in the truth. I can’t exactly tell him I’m in love with my stepsister. Especially since I haven’t told her yet.
Dad eyes me skeptically. “That it?”
I nod. I have no idea how he does that, but he always knows when something is going on with one of us. Always.
“How are things going with this training?”
I have to choose my words carefully. It’s easier for him if he doesn’t know everything I do. “It’s going well. But I’m ready for it to be over. It’s weird not being with the team.”
“We miss you.”
“I miss you too, Dad. I miss all of you. I’m hoping I get a weekend to fly home and see a game in the fall.”
“Hey, Coop.” Chloe strolls down the hall and joins us in the kitchen. “Coach.” Her sketchpad is tucked under her arm, and her hair’s thrown up in a messy bun on top of her head with what looks like a charcoal pencil holding the purple tips in place. “Your girl’s not feeling too good, Coach.”
“Nattie or Carys?” Dad asks, concerned.
Chloe laughs. “Nattie’s still riding the engagement high. Carys is asleep in her bed. She’s got a pretty high fever. At least, I think it is. I didn’t take her temp or anything. But I was coming out here to scavenge for either medicine or Katherine. She’s got the chills again.” She looks at me, letting me know she’s filling me in as much as she can. “I figured Katherine would know best.”
“Thanks, Chloe. I’ll go get Katie.” Dad jogs up the steps, and I head down the hall with Chloe following behind.
“Can you buy me a few minutes?”
She pops her gum, then twirls it around her finger. “I got’cha covered, Coop.”
I open the door of Carys’s room and sit down on the edge of her bed, brushing my lips over her hot forehead. “Hey, baby.”
She moans, “Coop?”
“I’m here.” I push the hair away from her face. “Tell me what you need.”
