Rhodes
It feels wrong.
That’s the first thing I notice when I walk into the kitchen after the short road trip.
Not quiet, exactly.
Chloe’s in the family room with one of her shows playing on the TV, the kittens are tearing around like the tiny furry demons they are, and Chrissy is stirring food on the stove…but it all still feels wrong.
Like someone reached into the center of our house and removed its heart.
No.
I’ddone that.
Took out the part that made everything softer. Warmer.
Alive.
And I’d stomped on it.
I just stand there for a second, taking it in.
No fabric squares on the table.
No lingering scent of cookies in the air.
No cocktail ingredients on the counter.
NoFinn.
And Christ, but her absence is loud.
“Hey,” Chrissy says, walking over to me. “You okay?”
I nod. “Thanks for watching her. The new nanny is coming tomorrow so we should be good from here on out.”
Because Finn left this morning.
But not without making arrangement for Chloe.
Something flickers across Chrissy’s face, but she just nods, presses her lips to my cheek. “Anything you need. Anytime you need it.”
“Thanks,” I whisper.
A pat to my shoulder. Then she calls, “Chloe girl, I’m out of here!”
“Bye—” When Chloe realizes I’m here, her face lights up in a way that never fails to soothe the rough edges of my soul. “Daddy!” She barrels into me before I can brace, wrapping both arms around my waist hard enough to knock me back a step.
I hug her back automatically, scooping her up into my arms and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Hey, pumpkin.”
Her grip tightens for a second.
Then loosens.
And when she tips her face up to look at me, I know her next words are going to hurt like hell even before she asks, “When’s Finn coming back?”
The question lands like a whip, flaying me open, and it takes everything in me to not react.
