Page 3 of Mistletoe Meet Cute
“Holly.” Dad pokes his head in. “Your sister needs your help with the kids.”
“Sure, Dad.” Rainey always needs help. That’s what happens when you have a baby and a toddler and your husband turns out to be a cheating bastard who leaves before the baby is even born. I still say he’s lucky Hadley, Ryleigh, and I didn’t roast his chestnuts over an open fire and pair them with a really fruity red. Would have served him right.
Once the door swings closed, I stare at the number again, then shove it in my pocket.
I’ll call them later.
CAMDEN
“Baby girl...” I shush Sophie as she scrunches up her face and spits out her binky just to spite me. My kid is pissed I woke her up to go to my sister’s. “Come on, Sophie girl. It’s time to go to Aunt Emmie’s house.”
Bright green eyes look up at me with huge tears clinging to tiny lashes, and I feel like the worst fucking father to ever walk the earth.
Probably not a far stretch.
I’m definitely failing at the moment.
Failing her and me.
But who’s keeping track?
Right.I am.
If someone had told me I’d be a single dad at thirty-two, I’d have said not a fucking chance. I already raised my sisters and did a shit job of it. No way did I want to be responsible for keeping another human alive again.
But that was before Sophie’s mom showed up on my doorstep, with a sob story about how she wasn’t cut out for motherhood and that she was sorry.
Sorry.
Like that was going to explain fuck all. Like, if this was my kid, how come it was the first time I’d even been told she existed?
Was she even my kid? It only took a rushed paternity test to have it confirmed.
Another one of those moments in life that changed everything.Again. But this time... This time, I had the most beautiful baby girl looking up at me with the purest, greenest, most trusting eyes I’d ever seen, begging me to take care of her, and I didn’t have a fucking clue what I was doing.
At least when Mom left and Dad’s dementia was getting worse, my sisters were older. Not grown but old enough. It was my job to keep them safe, make sure they ate and got to school, but they could tell me what the hell was wrong and what they needed.
Something Sophie can’t do.
Her sweet eyes beg me to pick her up, even though I’m already running late for practice. And because I’m a sucker who can’t say no to her, I do. She’s gotten too big for me to carry her like a football anymore, so I snuggle her against my chest with one arm and hook the car seat carrier and baby bag with the other. “Sorry, baby. It’s you and Aunt Emmie today. I’ll be home tonight though.”
Sophie crinkles her eyes before she lets out another wail as we make the thankfully quick trek next door to my sister’s house.
My brother-in-law, Maverick, opens the door and steals her from me. “How’s my favorite niece doing today?”
His voice is soft and calm because that’s the only way Mav ever talks to Sophie. He’s tough as hell on a football field, but get him around his daughter or mine, and he’s a pushover.
“We’re gonna be late.” Mav grins for Sophie, but he’s talking to me.
“You didn’t have to wait for me,” I groan. Mav and I head in to practice together when the times line up. But QBs don’t always have the same times as the rest of the team. “Not sure you want to ride in together. I’m might be later than you today.”
“He doesn’t,” my sister warns sweetly as she kisses my cheek, then takes the baby from Maverick’s hands. “He was late for other reasons.”
“Your brother doesn’t need to know those reasons, Em,” I groan and run a finger over Sophie’s baby-fine hair. “She’s cranky.”
“Of course she is,” Emmie coos as she and Sophie sway from side to side. “She doesn’t want to leave her daddy or her house. Any new nanny applications you want me to vet for you, big brother?”
With a quick kiss to Sophie’s head and Emmie’s cheek, I shake my head. “Not yet, but I’m working on it.”
