Page 54 of Balance

He hasn’t come out yet, so I just toss his food in the oven and set it on ‘warm’, then I help Tilly finish up her food, snickering under my breath when she smashes her avocado all over her cheeks and into her hair.

Oh well.

“Ave, you have to leave for school soon, go ahead and get ready, I got the girls.” She blinks at me for a few seconds before turning and heading down towards her room. “Now, you girls… head down to your bedroom and I’ll meet you there.” I set Tilly down after I wipe her down and watch as they chase each other down the hall, and I focus on shoving everything into the sink and following after them.

As I’m stepping into Tilly and Nessa’s room, Morgan comes rushing from his bedroom, shoving a shirt over his head. His dark hair is in fifty different directions from how he slept. His eyes are bloodshot and his cheeks are flushed. Yikes, must have been a rough night with Nolan.

“Hey,” he chokes out and awkwardly crosses his arms over his chest, rocking back and forth on his heels.

I frown at him and nod. “Hi… I’m getting the girls ready. I’ll take Avery to school.” I turn and lead the girls to their bathroomso that I can help them wash their faces and hands, brush their teeth and hair, then I get them dressed.

Maybe we can just play at the park for a bit after we drop Avery off. Some vitamin D sounds fantastic.

Morgan’s still waiting in the hall as we step out and I send him a look. He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. “I slept through my alarm, I don’t need to be at the rink until tomorrow, so I guess… I don’t know. I wasn’t expecting Nolan to show up.”

I shrug at him and knock on Avery’s door while I think up a reply. “Well… Glad you had a good night.”

He grunts at me and leans against the wall, merely inches from my body. “It would have been better if you were here.” He leans closer and kisses my cheek, his scruff and warm lips light me on fire and I work on holding myself back, not wanting to shudder or moan out loud.

He winks at me before he stalks back to his bedroom and shuts the door. I shake my head and smile at Avery when she opens her door. Her hair is up in a bun and she already has her backpack, shoes, and socks on, along with her pressed uniform.

She smiles softly before we head over to the playroom to grab the girls, then we get into the car. Avery requests some music and I hand her my phone so that she can fiddle with the music so that I can focus on the road.

Today is going to drag, I know it.

What does Morgan want to talk about? He kissed my cheek and still flirted with me, so I’m hoping he’s not kicking me out or firing me. I’m not getting my hopes up that he actually wants to move forward with some type of relationship.

I have enough money saved from the astronomical salary he’s paying me to get a place with Makenzie if it really comes down to it.

Avery jumps out of the car and I try to shake out of my thoughts as I drive the younger girls back home. “Do you littleladies want to play at the park for a bit? We can go home for lunch and a nap?”

Nessa and Tilly both squeal with excitement and I finally smile a real smile for the first time today.

Chapter 18

Morgan

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After I’m back in my room, I feel like punching myself in the face.

I shouldn’t have kissed her cheek or flirted with her until after I talked to her. I don’t even know if she will want to have a relationship with me after my epic fuck ups. Hell, if I was her I would have ran months ago.

I jump in the shower and check my phone when I’m done, noticing a text from Nolan from around five AM that he was heading home and didn’t want to be in the way when the girls got up to get ready for the day.

I dry off and wrap my towel around my waist before I work on shaving. I frown at myself in the mirror and lean forward to stare at my face. I think I could pull off a beard. I have more than a few gray hairs growing in along my jaw, and even some peppered through the rest of my hair, but it would still look good, I think.

I don’t feel almost forty, but my body sure looks like it. The toll hockey has put on my body for all these years will rear its ugly head soon enough. My knees and back ache most of mydays, but as long as I keep up with my workouts and massages, I should be good for a bit.

Just for the rest of the season. I need to sit down and have a meeting with Daniel.

I focus on shaving my face as I go over what I want to talk to Lillian about tonight. First, she’s always welcome to live here, be our nanny, or help me find a replacement if she wants to leave.

If she will have me, have us, then she has the same offer. She can continue to be our nanny if she’d like, or we can find her a teaching job. She can get her own place if she wants her independence while we date. Or, preferably, she will stay here and move into my room.

Make my house a home. Hell, I’ll even move if she wants.

I frown as my phone vibrates again, seeing that it’s from Lillian. They went to the park and she will talk to me later.

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