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“Nah. Not yet. Sam sent over someone who upgraded the security though, so we should be good. Either way, I’m working on hiring a night manager, so none of the girls have to be here alone when they’re closing. One of the guys is staying with Imogen tonight.” He closes his laptop and rises from his chair. “Get out of here, King. Go home. Rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”
When we step into the hall, my niece flies at me. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and her gangly legs around my waist. “Uncle Huddy,” Brynlee squeals.
“Hey, Brynnie. What’s shakin’?” I blow a raspberry on her cheek and squeeze.
“Hey, munchkin. What about me?” Cade reaches for his daughter, who rolls her eyes like a teenager.
“I saw you this morning, Daddy. I haven’t seen Uncle Huddy in a long time.”
Jesus, this kid has me wrapped around her little finger.
“Missed you too, sweets.” I bounce her on my hip. “Where’s your mom?”
Brynlee points toward the front desk where Scarlet and Imogen are talking.
“How was London?” I ask her about her trip to watch the Kings play, and her whole face lights up.
“We saw a real castle last week. And it was guarded by these men in funny hats who weren’t allowed to talk.” She looks at me with wide eyes, her blonde curls bouncing around her animated little face. “Like, at all,” she gasps.
“The horror,” I dramatically gasp back, then tickle her sides until her giggling fills the gym.
Her little brother, Killian, toddles over and grabs my sweats. I bend down and pick him up, then shift Brynn so they’re each on a hip. “Hey, killer.” Killian yawns in my face, then I lean over and kiss Scarlet’s cheek. “Hey, sis.”
“Mommy’s being mean. She won’t let me see you fight this weekend. I tried telling her I see you fight here all the time, but it didn’t work.”
“Brynlee,” Scarlet sighs. “We’ve been over this. You’re too young.”
Brynn pushes to be let down, then plants her feet on the ground and dramatically slams her hands on her hips. Imogen stifles a laugh behind me. “I’m almost six years old, Mom.”
I swear it’s the tone that does it.
Six going on sixteen, maybe.
Scarlet shakes her head. “The answer is no.”
“We’re going to grab dinner, Hudson. Why don’t you join us?” Scarlet looks hopeful, like she thinks I’d go out to dinner the night before weigh-ins.
Cade wraps his arm around my sister and directs her toward the door. “He’s got weigh-ins and the press tomorrow and then a fight Saturday, duchess. Let the man do what he’s gotta do tonight. He can enjoy everything else after the fight on Saturday.”
Scarlet’s pout resembles the face Brynlee made when she didn’t get her way. “Fine. But you better be at the Kings game Sunday. It’s home at one.”
She stands there, waiting for me with an expectant glare.
“Scar... I’ve been in training for six weeks. I’m not getting out of bed on Sunday.” She doesn’t need to know I don’t plan on being alone.
“Hudson Thaddeus Kingston.”
Killian buries his head against my chest, like he thinks he’s the one in trouble, and Brynlee oohhhs... “She middle-named you, Uncle Huddy. Mommy only middle-names us when we’re in trouble.”
Her innocent statement reminds me of Maddie, and a smile pulls at my lips.
Would she want to go with me to a Kings game?
She’s usually there watching her brother anyway.
Would she sit with my family? On my arm?
“Fine,” I agree. “I’ll be there.”
