I hadn’t answered last night. I’d seen it, reread it twice, and set the phone face down.
What could I tell her?Yeah, everything’s fine, except my daughter cried herself to sleep because her dad’s about to disappoint her again. And what if this time, it’s not just disappointment? What if she stops believing in me altogether? The thought gnawed at me, because losing Harper’s trust felt like losing the last piece of a world that already felt too fragile.
So I didn’t say anything. I didn’t have time to get caught up with a girl who was too young and too positive to understand the impossible situation I was in.
Now it was mid-morning, and I was supposed to be reviewing security reports, but every alert blurred together. I couldn’t focus.
When the phone rang, I didn’t even check the screen before answering.
“Hello.”
There was a pause, then a familiar voice, “You sound like you’re having a tough day.” Dani ventured, as if she was testing the waters.
I blinked, sat up straighter. “Dani?” Pulling the phone back to confirm my suspicions.
“Hi.” She sounded hesitant. “I wasn’t sure if I should call. You didn’t respond last night, and I figured you might be… well, stressing out.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, sighing. “Yup.”
“Harper called me,” she said, her tone gentle. “She was upset. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
I hesitated, the guilt flaring again, this time laced with embarrassment. “She called you without asking me first. I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize,” she said quickly. “She just needed comforting. And for the record, she wasn’t a bother. She’s—” Dani paused, her voice softening. “She’s a really special kid, Logan.”
That made me smile despite myself. “Yeah. She is.”
“So…” She trailed off, like she was giving me a chance to fill the silence.
I didn’t.
Finally, she said, “I take it the work thing hasn’t changed?”
“No,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair. “They need someone to cover the on-site manager for three week. If I refuse, they’ll hand my full-time slot to someone else.”
“And you can’t risk that,” she said quietly, not as a question, more so an understanding.
“No, I can’t.”
There was a pause, then: “So what’s the plan?”
“Not sure.”
That was the worst part, admitting it out loud. I was the one who always had a plan, always made things work. But this time, I didn’t have a single good answer.
“My neighbor used to help when I had to leave,” I said. “But she moved up north. I’ve been tryin’ to think of someone else, but… there’s no one I trust with her like that.”
“You don’t have anyone nearby?”
“Not family,” I said, shaking my head even though she couldn’t see it. “Hunter and Cami would help if I asked, but they’ve got the three kids already, and I can’t ask them to take on more.”
Another small pause. I could hear her inhale, slow and thoughtful.
“Okay,” she said. “Then maybe this is where I overstep.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Don’t freak out,” she said quickly, voice light but careful. “I know we haven’t known each other long. But I have a few lighter weeks at work. No big trials, no deadlines that can’t be managed remotely if needed. I could stay with Harper while you’re gone.”
