Tapping my knuckle on the door, I call out to her.
“Is this a private concert for your stuffed animals or can I come in?” I ask, peeking my head in the door frame.
“Come in.” She giggles, pulling her comforter from her and reaching for a stuffed animal before she hops out of bed.
“Should we make pancakes?”
Her head bobs up and down enthusiastically, and I ruffle the already tangled hair on her head as we head down the hall.
My calendar pops up when I walk into the kitchen and tap the screen, showing the team meeting I have this afternoon that will inevitably go over what is expected of us for this documentary series.
I turn the television on for CeCe and she plops herself on the couch, settling in as I pull out the ingredients to whip up some breakfast quickly. As I’m stirring the batter, Summer makes her way down the hall. She’s wearing one of my old t-shirts that she made into a crop top and a pair of bright red leggings.
“Where are you going dressed so bright?” I tease.
“I was thinking we’d have a girls day at the zoo.” She shifts her eyes to CeCe, who of course perks up immediately.
“Yes! Please!” She jumps from the couch and hugs Summer’s leg before she runs back down the hall into her bedroom.
“You’re going to melt. It’s supposed to be over ninety today with a “feels like” temp of over one hundred and five.”
“Lucky for me, I’m okay with getting a little sweaty.” Her fingertips feather my forearm as she leans up toward me, kissing my bicep and looking down at the bowl of pancake batter filled with sprinkles and chocolate chips.
“Careful, Kincaid.” I warn.
Turning to face her, I run my hand down her backside, spreading my hand out firmly against the curve of her ass.
“Not uh.” She waves her index finger in my face. “Your growly warning tone isn’t going to work on me right now.”
“No?” My hand squeezes and she quietly gasps. “I’m betting if I checked, you’d be wet.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing for me that you can’t check.” Her hand skims the outside of my shorts and she smirks when she feels how hard I am before she backs away.
For years Summer didn’t phase me. Years went by where she could walk into a room, or touch me and nothing would happen. Nothing would ignite in me. But then we kissed and we spent time together.Realtime. Just the two of us. And fuck if my entire world didn’t flip upside down.
“Can I wear this?” CeCe shouts from down the hall before we both see her finally emerge from the hallway.
She’s in a bright pink princess dress with one of her purses hanging from her shoulder and a pair of sandals in her hand before she drops them in front of her feet.
“Is that what you want to wear? Are you comfortable?” I ask.
She nods and takes a seat at the island in front of me and I glance over to Summer who is proudly staring at CeCe with a smile on her face.
“Well, I love it.” Summer pulls a chair up next to her and starts taking last night's scrunchie from her hair. “Let’s put this in a ponytail, eat some pancakes and go see some zebras!”
I quietly chuckle to myself as I flip the last few pancakes on the blackstone and plate them. Both of my girls are seated at the kitchen island as I inhale one myself in a handful of quick bites before heading back down the hall to get ready to gear up for another season.
A season I wasn’t sure I’d be doing if you asked me at this time last year. I wasn’t sure how much more time my body had in me or how I’d manage another season away from CeCe and having to find someone to watch her. But thankfully with the right recovery, my knees have felt great. Missing the playoffs last season blew, but my body fucking needed the break. And having Summer help out last year was something I didn’t know I needed.She’ssomeone I didn’t know I needed.
“I have the stroller in my trunk,” Summer says as I walk out of the bedroom and down the hall. “And I’ll text you updates. Penguins, Parrots, all the birds of course.” She elbows me as I walk by to grab my keys from the dish on the counter.
“Looking forward to it,” I say, wrapping my arm around her chest from behind and kissing her cheek before I bend down and kiss CeCe goodbye, too.
“Have fun,” I say. “Be good.”
Summer’s light laugh follows me as she walks with me toward the door.
“No promises on that last part,” she whispers, giving me a wink as the door shuts behind me and I shake my head as I walk down the hall.
