“No, our first date,” she insists. “Tonight was not a date, Cameron.”
She never calls me by my full name. Although I’m surprised how much I enjoy hearing it roll off her tongue.
“Okay,” I say softly. “Tomorrow will be our first date then.”
“Unless I’m too hungover,” she says almost to herself.
“If you’re too hungover, I’ll ask you out for another time,” I promise her.
She nods and then rattles off the address of her dance class. I type it into my phone and put the truck back into drive.
Savannah’s asleep by the time I pull into her driveway. I walk around to her side and open her door. She shifts off the window and her head drops back against the seat. I say her name softly, but she doesn’t answer me. I unbuckle her seat belt, find her keys in her purse, put the purse over my shoulder, and pick her up in my arms.
Remembering that the front steps were icy earlier tonight, I walk as slowly as I can, and when I reach the top step, I slide the key into the lock and open the door quietly.
Once we’re inside the house, I have no idea where to go. The foyer is dimly lit, but the rest of the lights are off. I set off through the living room, looking for a hallway.
I find one, but every single door leading off the hall is tightly closed.
Not sure what to do, and damned if I’m going to mistakenly open the door to her mother’s room, I stop short.
When a door on my left swings open, I brace myself to come face to face with Savannah’s mother and to meet her for the first time with her daughter drunk off her ass in my arms.
But the woman who makes eye contact with me as she steps into the hall looks like she’s only a few years older than Savannah. Her light brown hair is up in a messy bun, and her eyes twinkle with amusement as she glances at Savannah.
“I see my sister outdid herself tonight.”
I chuckle. “She had a few too many. I thought I’d cut her off in time, but she snuck by me more than once, I’m afraid.”
“That’s not hard to envision. My sister hates parties.”
“So she said.”
She nods at me. “I’m Molly. One of Savannah’s three older sisters. You must be the famous Cameron Wild. We’ve heard a lot about the new hockey star for the Cannons.”
I brush off the teasing compliment with a grin. “It’s nice to meet you, Molly. Savannah told me you both live here with your mom.”
Molly rolls her eyes. “Crazy, huh? Two independent women, and we haven’t left our parents’ house yet.” Before I can respond, she continues talking. “Vannah’s room is right there.” She points across from the door she just came out of. “I’ll trust you to tuck her safely into bed.”
She says it lightly, but there’s a clear edge to her tone.
I nod. “Of course, I’ll take care of her. You don’t need to worry, but I’d understand if you want to come in with me while I put her to bed.”
She tilts her head, assessing me. “No,” she says finally after a few tense seconds. “I do trust you, actually. Not just from my own female intuition in meeting you but also from how you helped out Savannah the day you met. I don’t know what she would have done if you hadn’t come down the alley when you did.” She pauses, glancing down at her sister sleeping against my chest. “You’ll have to be extra careful with her, though.” She reaches out and tenderly brushes a stray hair off Savannah’s face. “A man already broke her heart into a thousand jagged pieces. I don’t think she could take it happening twice.”
I’m so startled by the admission I speak without thinking. “Savannah had a bad break-up?”
Is that why she’s so nervous around me?
Molly’s eyes narrow. “The first man she loved and gave her heart to—the one man no child should be betrayed by.”
Shit.She’s talking about their father. Something about the way she says it gives me chills, and the anger in her eyes…I swallow.
“I’ve said too much,” she says and blinks, almost like she didn’t realize she was saying all of that. “Good night.” She backs into her bedroom and shuts the door behind her.
I stand frozen for a second, and then I open the door Molly said led to Savannah’s bedroom. I step inside the dark room, turn on the lamp over the nightstand, and set Savannah on her bed. She immediately lies down.
“Let me help you.” I pull down the covers and take off her heels.
