I can hardly breathe at the vulnerability in his voice. This man isnothing like what I thought. He’s just a single dad doing his best to make his daughter happy.
“I didn’t have a mom growing up either, but I did have two wonderful fathers. I don’t think it matters, as long as the kid feels loved and supported.”
Phoenix’s lips curve upward, leaving small cracks at the corners. “I’m glad you had them. How long have they been together?”
I return his smile. “They’re not a couple. Dad and Pops were both married to my mother at different times, and when she left, they shared custody of us four kids.” My fingers stroke lightly over the softness of the pajamas as I remember. “We spent one week at Dad’s house, and then one week at Pops’s. It was nice having two homes, and it worked out well for our parents too. If one of them was sick or had to travel, the other was there for backup.”
“That’s an amazing story, Jordie.”
I wonder what happened to Reece’s mother. Did she die or simply leave like mine did? But I feel it would be rude to ask.
“I guess it is, though it was just my reality growing up. I don’t feel like I missed anything by having two fathers and no mother.” With a shrug, I add, “I don’t like to assign traditional mom and dad roles, but if I had to, I would say Dad was more of the father, and Pops took on more of the gentler stuff. Dad’s a mechanic, so he taught me to check the oil in my car and change a tire. Pops is a college English professor, so he was big on reading and education. I feel like it made us all pretty well-rounded.”
“That’s what I want for Reece as well, but there’s just me.” His head rocks side to side a couple times. “Though that’s not completely true. I do have my mother to help out. And my little sister, Perri, just graduated from college, so she’ll be around more.”
Perri. His sister.
Images of the blonde woman from Phoenix’s office that first day come back to me. No wonder he seemed familiar and affectionate with her. She’s his damn sister, not his lover. I feel like an ass on so many levels for jumping to conclusions and acting cold toward Phoenix.
So, without thinking twice about it, I step forward and wrap him in a hug. “You’re doing a great job with Reece. You obviously love her,and she’ll always remember that her dad dressed up in a ridiculous pink bunny outfit to have spa nights with her.”
His chuckle rumbles his chest beneath my cheek, and his long arms wrap around me. He’s warm and very… firm, and the embrace feels better than it has any right to.
“Thanks, Jordie. I’m doing my best, but sometimes it helps to hear that I’m doing something right.”
Embarrassed at my impromptu show of emotions, I step away, my body suddenly cold at the absence of his bigger one. “Thanks for letting me stay and intrude on your evening with your daughter.”
A strand of hair has escaped my ponytail, and Phoenix sweeps it away from my face, his fingers brushing against the shell of my ear. My eyes are glued to his, and despite his girly headband, muddy face, and goofy pajamas, I feel an intense attraction toward him.
“We’re happy to have you. We do this once a month, so feel free to come back anytime.”
“Do I need to bring my own pajamas?” I tease. “Like a BYOP party?”
He grins, further cracking his mask. “If you want, though I don’t mind sharing mine with you.”
It seems intimate, and I don’t hate it.
“I think I’ll wear the tiger-striped ones next time,” I announce.
“Excellent choice.” He backs toward the doorway. “I’ll just let you get changed. Do you want me to wait out here for you?”
“I can find my way back,” I tell him, and I’m pretty sure that’s true, though I could probably get lost if I got turned around in this massive home.
Ten minutes later, I’m downstairs with my very own mud mask on my face. I sit on the couch to let it dry while Reece and Phoenix debate which movie to watch. I’m surprised they’re selecting from an actual stash of DVDs instead of streaming something.
They finally decide on the classicThe Fox and the Hound, and Phoenix gets it queued up while Reece and I wash our faces.
“Wow, our skin looks so pretty,” she muses, kneeling on the countertop of a downstairs bathroom to look at us in the mirror. Then she turns and plops down on her butt to face me. “Daddy said it’s important to be prettier on the inside than on the outside.”
I smile at this precious kiddo. “That’s true.”
“And that if we comp-a-ment somebody on how they look, we should also comp-a-ment them about something else too.” She peers up at me with her big blue eyes. “I think you’re really fun, and you’re an amazing football player, Jordie.”
My heart is officially a mass of gelatin wobbling around in my chest. “Well I think you have a kind heart for inviting me to your spa night, Reece. And you have the brightest personality that lights up the room.”
Reece beams up at me. “Daddy is right. That made me feel happy inside.”
“Daddy’s always right.” The voice comes from behind me, and I look up into the mirror to see Phoenix leaning one shoulder against the doorframe with the softest smile on his face.
