“Kids aren’t allowed in a family box without an adult. There’s not enough employees here to take her up there. Something about ratios, I think.”
Sadie nods and then glances from Sophia to me. She bites on her lower lip, and I instantly want to know what it tastes like.
Fuck.
“I don’t want to overstep. But what if I hang out with Sophia during the game so she can watch you play?”
Sophia starts bouncing up and down in Sadie’s arms.
“Can I, Daddy? Please, please, please, please.” She claps her hands together at each “please,” and I reach out to steady her in Sadie’s arms.
“Careful, baby girl. I don’t need you jumping out of Miss Sadie’s arms and hurting yourself.”
Sadie lowers Sophia to the ground and Sophia immediately attaches herself to my leg. “Daddy! Please let me watch in person today. I don’t want to hang with the crying babies.”
I ruffle her hair with my hand before squatting down. “How about you go color over there at that table so Miss Sadie and I can talk for a minute?”
Sophia clearly doesn’t want to leave, looking back and forth between me and Sadie. I’m about to use my “dad voice” when Sadie squats down next to us.
“It’s okay, Sophia. We’re just going to have a boring grown-up conversation. Do you think you could color me a picture? I need something to hang in my new office.”
Sophia’s eyes light up. “Oh my gosh, yes! I have the perfect picture for you.” She runs over to the table next to the daycare and pulls her coloring book out of her backpack. I see her grab a marker and once she’s busy working, I look back to Sadie.
“You don’t have to do that. I’m sure you have work to do.”
Sadie shakes her head and laughs quietly to herself.
“What’s so funny?”
She looks up at me and puts a hand on her hip. “Youare what’s so funny. I wouldn’t have offered to hang out with her if it wasn’t something I wanted to do. The team doesn’t need my services until after the game. You know that as much as I do. So are you going to let me help you or what?”
This fiery side of Sadie has my dick twitching in my slacks.
“Yeah, Sadie. I’m gonna let you help me.” My tone comes out a tad flirty, causing Sadie’s eyes to widen.
“Sophia, you’re going to hang with Sadie today.”
She abandons her markers and coloring book, running fullspeed into me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You’re the best daddy in the whole world.”
Apparently, all I needed to do to become the world’s best dad is allow my daughter to hang out with the most thoughtful woman I’ve ever met. Damn. If I knew that, I would’ve done it sooner.
I rub her back and give her one last squeeze before pulling away. I take her hands in mine and look her in the eyes. “When I’m on the ice, Miss Sadie is the boss. You do as she says, okay? Can you promise me that?”
Sophia nods vigorously, overcome with excitement. “Yes, Daddy. I promise.” She throws her arms around my neck and gives me one last squeeze before breaking away from me to grab Sadie’s hand.
“Miss Sadie, this is going to be the best day ever.”
I stand with a smile on my face as I watch the two of them walk away together holding hands.
For the first time in months, I can breathe.
It’s a few minutes into the second period when Sophia and I make our way back into the family box we’ve been watching Niko’s game from. There were a couple other moms in here with their babies but they’re back in the enclosed area so they can sleep, which leaves the entire balcony viewing area for ourselves.
“You’re right, Miss Sadie. This frozen lemonade is so much yummier than a Slurpee.” She sucks down half the frozen drink before squeezing her eyes shut abruptly. “Ah! Brain freeze!”
I can’t help but throw my head back and laugh. When Sophia asked for a “red freezie drink,” I immediately shot that down. I’m not sure what Niko’s policy is on red dye, but it’s my belief that that shit came straight from the devil. I wasn’t going to deal with the after effects of her drinking a pint of that stuff on my own.
“Slow down, girl. We’re going to have to go use the bathroom before this period is even over if you keep gulping down that drink,” I say, while pointing at her cup.
