“Yeah.”
He snorts. “At least try to sound convincing.”
“I’m fine,” I mutter and start stripping down.
I need to shower.
Need to get home.
Need tothink.
Except the only thing that keeps running through my head is that my daughter drew a picture of our family—a family that may not exist in a few months.
And she’s going to get hurt.
I’mgoing to get hurt.
“Hey, Rhodes?” King calls quietly when I tuck a towel around my waist and turn for the showers.
“Yeah?” I ask, bracing for some annoying comment and promising myself I willnotthrottle him.
“There’s going to come a time when the fear drowns out your heart.”
I freeze as his eyes bore into me, seeing far too much.
“Try to realize that’s what’s happening before it’s too late.”
Thirty-One
Finn
“Finn!”Chloe calls, dragging a little girl behind her I’ve never seen before. “Finn!”
“I’m here, buttercup,” I say, crouching down. “What’s up?”
She lifts her hand—still interlaced with the other little girl’s. “This is Holly!”
I smile. “Hi, Holly.”
She smiles back shyly.
“You have such pretty eyes,” I say. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that particular shade of gray before.
It’s almost like…
Storm clouds.
“Thanks,” Holly says before allowing Chloe to drag her off. My little charge shouting, “Daddy!” across the back yard.
Daddy—Rhodes—turns and smiles, scooping her up and tossing her over his shoulder. She shrieks will glee and he’s smiling wide, and the worry inside me fades a little.
He’s been off for a few days.
Quiet and maybe a little distant.
But the team has also had two games—one of them away—and they were tough battles that brought him home late and left him exhausted…
And maybe a little frustrated too.
