Page 49 of Double Fault

Strangely enough, I’ve come to look forward to our workouts. Not that I’ll ever admit it.

Maddie darts to the entrance and tugs on the heavy door. She’s still fighting with it when we reach her, so I pull it open and hold it for both girls.

The place is busy, but by some miracle, we’re seated right away.

Maddie slides into the booth first, but when I step up to sit beside her, she says, “No, I want Sabrina.”

With a hand to my heart, I ease back out. “Child of mine, you wound me.”

She giggles, bouncing on her knees.

Finger pointed at her, I give her a mock glare. “Sit on your butt.”

“Jesus.” When we’re all seated, Sabrina picks up the menu and fans it out. “This thing is the size of a textbook.”

“I’ll help you.” Maddie leans over, cheek pressed to her nanny’s arm. It worries me a bit, how attached she’s become to her so quickly. “The chicken tenders are my favorite.”

“Chicken tenders, huh?” Sabrina makes eye contact with me across the table, her dark brown irises glimmering with humor.

“Maddie takes her chicken tenders very seriously.”

“They have really good honey mustard here too. Oh, and the bread is the best. The brown one, not the yucky white one.”

I press my lips together, trying to hide my amusement. “Maddie Girl, I’m sure she’s been to a Cheesecake Factory before.”

Sabrina looks up from the appetizer page of her menu. “I haven’t, actually.”

“You’ve never been?” Maddie practically shrieks. “Dad, we have to ordereverythingso Sabrina can try it all.”

I shake my head. My girl could have me in stitches all day if she were trying. “Trust me, kid, there’s no way we could eat it all. Though,” I say before she can argue, “we can get some extra things.”

Sabrina holds both hands up. “It’s okay, really.”

When the server comes by for our drink order, Maddie and I list off four or five of our favorite appetizers as well.

“Noah.” The way she rasps my name has my pants getting tight. Shit. “We don’t need that much food.”

With a shrug, I tear off a chunk of bread. “Just try a little of each.”

Sabrina’s phone buzzes on the table, and she picks it up quickly. Immediately, her face falls, and she sets the device down again with an audible swallow.

Bread held aloft, I watch her, searching for clues to her change in demeanor. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, just my mom.” She taps her fingernails against the table anxiously. This week they’re painted a bright tennis ball green thanks to Maddie.

“Want to talk about it?”

She shakes her head. “I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back.” She gives Maddie’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before sliding out of the booth.

“Is Sabrina okay?” my daughter asks once she’s out of earshot.

“I hope so.” I follow her with my eyes until she disappears down the hall to the bathroom.

“We should get cheesecake,” Maddie says, applying a copious amount of butter to her piece of bread. “Cheesecake makes everything better.”

My teeth ache at the prospect of all that sugar. “Let’s make it through dinner first and then we’ll talk to dessert.”

Several minutes later, when Sabrina still hasn’t returned, worry niggles at me. Maddie too, if the look on her face is any indication.

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