Page 109 of Fielder's Choice

Sage loves Olive.

And if I’m being honest with myself, I’m already well on my way to falling in love with her, too.

But we’re not even actually together.

I’m going to have to remedy that soon.

“So, what color is your party dress?” Olive asks Sage, acting like she doesn’t already know the answer.

“Purple! Wanna see?!”

“Of course I do!” she says excitedly, and I watch as she and my daughter disappear together down the hallway.

I’m so lost in my thoughts that I must not have heard the elevator doors, and I don’t realize I’m not alone until somebody clears their throat behind me.

“Sage really adores her, doesn’t she?”

I turn around and find Eileen standing behind me, trying to tamper down a smile. “Hey, Eileen. I must not have heard the elevator when you came up.”

“No,” she grins. “You seemed a little preoccupied.”

I chuckle. “I don’t think there’s much denying that.”

She smiles at me softly. “What’s going on between you and my daughter, Lane?”

“Honestly,” I sigh. “I don’t really know. With everything she’s been through, Olive is reluctant to put a label on anything.”

“Does that mean she’s opened up to you?” Eileen asks, a mixture of hope and trepidation in her voice.

“I know everything,” I breathe. “After our date last month, she opened up about all of it.”

“And it doesn’t bother you?”

“Why would it?” I answer. “I think she’s strong as hell, and I want Sage to be able to look up to someone like that.”

My response must be good because she nods her head appreciatively. “You’re older than her, you know.”

“Yeah,” I say quietly. “Nine years. I know it seems like a lot, but it doesn’t seem to bother her.”

“Did you know Oscar is seven years older than me?” Eileen looks at me in amusement. “He was forty-six when Olive was born. And our age difference never mattered to either of us.”

“I didn’t know that.”

She rests her hand on my shoulder. “I can see how much you care about her, Lane. And Liv has been doing wonderfully lately. She was already on a better path before she met you, but there’s no denying you’ve had a positive impact on her.”

“I like her,” I admit, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans. “Your daughter is incredible, Eileen. And my daughter absolutely loves her. I know I have a past—Sage is living proof of that—but I promise those days are well behind me. I’m not the man I used to be.”

“I trust that, but most importantly, Olive trusts that.” Eileen turns to face me. “She likes you, I can tell. Promise me you won’t hurt her.”

“Never,” I reply quickly. “Olive deserves the damn world. I’ll give it to her if she lets me.”

“Eiween!” Sage shouts as she and Liv come back into the room.

“There’s the birthday girl!” Eileen says happily, bending down to hug my daughter.

“You should see her dress, Mom,” Olive states. “Sage is going to be the prettiest little princess today.”

“She always is,” I smile as I watch the happiness radiate from my daughter. “Isn’t that right, Lovebug?”

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