“Sorry, that was the new athletic trainer I hired.” Kennedy hangs up her phone before taking the last empty seat next toher husband. “Her flight was canceled so she won’t be here until tomorrow.” She sighs, looking at the food on the table. “Thanks for making us dinner. We still haven’t unpacked enough to find our dishes.”
Max looks up from my lap. “Ken,” he says, smiling up at his aunt.
“Hi, Bug.”
Kai makes a plate of pasta and salad for his fiancée. “We’ll come over tomorrow and get it finished.”
“I can make it mandatory,” I cut in. “Tell the team they need to get over to your place and help the new team doctor.”
“Or they could just come help their teammate because they love me,” Isaiah adds.
“Kennedy is in charge of their medical treatment,” Kai reminds him. “I think they’re going to be a bit more inclined to kiss her ass rather than yours.”
“Monty. More.” Max nudges my tattooed hand, the one with the crayon that’s not working fast enough for him.
I quickly fill one of the outlined trees on the page. “House is good?” I ask Kennedy and Isaiah.
“It’s perfect.” She smiles.
Isaiah looks to his older brother and a content understanding passes between them. “I’m glad we’re living closer.”
Miller passes the breadbasket across the table, her eyes latched on me for too long as she does.
“Yes?” I ask suspiciously.
“Nothing.”
“Since when do you have a filter, Miller? Spit it out.”
“I just think it’s nice that Kennedy and Isaiah are moving out of the downtown area and bought a house down the road from us.”
“It is nice,” I agree. “For them.”
She focuses on the plate in front of her. “Nice enough that maybe you’d want to do the same.”
I bark a laugh. “Nice try. I’m perfectly happy in my apartment in the city that’s walking distance to work. I practically live at the field during the season anyway.”
“I’m just saying, Dad, your whole family is out in the suburbs now.”
“And I’m glad you four are all happily paired-off suburban couples.”
“You could be happily paired off too, you know.”
The disbelieving laughter keeps coming. My daughter has never been one to shy away from exactly what’s on her mind. “Geez, Millie.”
Kai shakes his head. “Let the man eat his dinner in peace.”
“Oh, no, no, no.” She holds a finger up. “You don’t get to play Switzerland right now. You agreed with me when we talked about this last night.”
I raise a brow. “You two talked about me last night? Nothing more exciting going on in your lives?”
“We just want you to be happy, Dad.”
“And what makes you believe that I’m not happy? I’ve got my dream job and my daughter finally lives nearby. What more could I want?”
“A lady friend,” Isaiah cuts in, talking over a full mouth.
“Aladyfriend?” Kennedy asks, unimpressed by her husband’s choice of words.
