Page 143 of Lucky Laces
Fun and smart and beautiful and calling me on my shit doesn’t come with a side of whatever secrets are locked up in that gorgeous brain of hers.
They come with taking great care of Chloe, with making sure my daughter is safe and healthy and fed, dropped off to preschool on time, bathed and her hair taken care of, her clothes clean, her playdates kept.
They also come with her making sure my daughter gets enough sleep.
Ornormallythey do.
Because tonight after a game against the Sierra, Chloe called me.I’m used to odd hours, what with games that don’t start until seven-thirty at night and travel and changing time zones and morning skates.I’m even used to my daughter pushing her bedtime routine, mostly when she comes to a weekend home game to watch me play.
But she doesn’t normally do that shit with Finn.
Still, the call didn’t immediately tweak me, not until I put the pieces together, not until Chloe said that Finn was sick.
Then I realized my daughter, my precious, stubborn, smart as a whip daughter was basically home without supervision, considering Finn was too sick to provide it.
AndIwasn’t home.
I was on a fucking plane, counting down the seconds to make it back here.
I’m still feeling that urgency, that stress, that anxiety when I push into the room and see my daughter in bed with Finn, totally out, her arms and legs akimbo, her head on Finn’s belly.
Finn…
Who’s awake.
And looks to be at death’s door when her head jerks my way.
“Fuck,” I whisper, knees wavering in a way that has nothing to do with my legs being tired after the game and everything to do with the relief pouring through me.
“I couldn’t lift her to put her back in bed,” Finn rasps.
Yup.Rasps.
“I’ve got her,” I say, striding forward and scooping her up into my arms.
Chloe doesn’t so much as stir.But then again, my baby girl is a deep sleeper, and once she’s out, she’sout.It’s only when she’s really trying to push it on the bedtime that she pulls shenanigans like tonight.
“I wouldn’t have gone to sleep if I knew there was a possibility that she was awake,” Finn says, or rather rasps.
“I know,” I tell her.“Don’t worry about it.It’s why we have the child locks on the doors—this isn’t her first nighttime wandering rodeo.”
“Right.”She nods, but guilt is slicing through her expression.“I still wouldn’t have slept, Rhodes.You have to believe me.”
I frown, cuddle Chloe closer.
Which has something else slicing through Finn’s expression.
Fear?
“Idobelieve you.”
“I—”
“It’s okay, Finn.I’ll bring you some medicine.You can get some rest, and if you’re really worried we can talk more in the morning, okay?”
She nibbles at her lip.
But eventually she nods.
