Page 59 of Winning You
“Yes. It’s rectangular and goes almost from end to end in front of the couch. The corners are padded.”
Lucas frowned. “Uh. Why?”
“Because I’m raising a blind child with cerebral palsy who likes to run when she gets the nighttime zoomies.”
Lucas burst into laughter. “Right. Of course. So if I fall, I probably won’t crack my head open.”
Frankie dipped low and kissed the side of his neck. “Probably not, no. I had someone come in and help me create a layout that would help Elodie. Her brain doesn’t really process what her eyes see most of the time, so she’ll walk into walls if there’s not a lot of contrast.”
Lucas assumed that meant Frankie’s place was full of bright, contrasting colors. He understood the concept through touch—smooth to rough or soft to hard. He’d had rooms like that when he was at the blind residential school and had roommates who had vision but couldn’t see.
And the school did have a lot of padding. Especially when he was in the elementary wing.
“You’re a good dad.”
Frankie let out a slow breath. “I never meant to be one. I mean, I love her, but the fact that my mom was able to have a child at her age boggles my mind.”
“Did you ever think about saying no?” Lucas started forward, stopping when his cane met the table, and he traced around it before feeling for the couch and dropping down. It was very soft and very worn.
It jostled a little when Frankie sat down beside him, and he burst into laughter when Frankie’s large hands grabbed him by the ankles and twisted him, taking his feet into his lap. “May I?”
“What? Spoil me even more?” Lucas asked as he folded his cane and dropped it on the floor beside him.
Frankie said nothing for a beat, so Lucas assumed he’d done some kind of gesture. “I like spoiling you, princess.”
Lucas groaned. “Keep that up and my pants are going to get uncomfortable again.”
“That was my plan. Fenton is going to be by with Elodie in a few hours, which is plenty enough time for me to play with you.”
Lucas shuddered and began to knead his toes against Frankie’s chest. It felt good. It felt even better that Frankie let him.
“To answer your question,” Frankie said after a long beat, “I knew if I took in Elodie, my husband was going to leave me. I considered what both options would be like, but I knew I wanted to keep Elodie with me. I didn’t want her raised by strangers who might be even worse than my mom when I could give her a home.”
“I’m sorry your ex was such a shithead about her.”
“He wasn’t a fan of my brothers either, but since they were pretty much grown adults, he couldn’t say anything.”
“Why’d you marry a guy who didn’t like your brothers? That also seems shitty.”
Frankie laughed, but the sound wasn’t amused. “Because I was a jackass. I was lonely and feeling very unwanted. Before him, my longest relationship was only a couple of months, and I was starting to think no one was ever going to love me.”
“But he did?”
Frankie sighed softly. “No. I don’t think he did. I didn’t really love him either. I guess I thought being with him was better than being alone. By the time I got the call about Elodie, I knew I’d made a mistake. I kind of let that situation tear it all apart.”
“Sounds like you’re better off.”
Frankie squeezed his ankles softly, then picked up his foot and kissed the arch. Lucas had no idea why Frankie would want to put his face there, of all places, but he wasn’t complaining. He loved that Frankie wanted to touch him all over.
He felt adored. Worshipped.
Like if their circumstances were different, maybe he could even be loved. But he was starting to understand more and more why Frankie was afraid of something long-term.
“Do you want to come to the bedroom with me?”
Lucas raised his brows. “Are you deflecting?”
“Maybe a little. I’m not fond of my ex or that time in my life. I’d rather pay attention to you.”
