“Me too.” Maisie pulls back and looks at her seriously. “You’re my favorite of Daddy’s friends.”
Tori’s laugh comes out a little watery. “Thanks, Maze. That means a lot.”
“I’ll walk you out,” I say, my voice rougher than I intended.
We go to the door together, Maisie trailing behind us. In the hallway, Tori turns back one more time.
“Thanks for dinner,” she says. “And for... everything.”
“Thank you for saving my life today. The pickup, I mean.”
She smiles—really smiles, the kind that reaches her eyes and makes my heart do something embarrassing.
“Goodnight, Zayden.”
“Goodnight, Tori.”
I watch her walk to her car and climb inside. Once it starts and pulls away, I go back inside, where my daughter is waiting with a look on her face that is way too knowing for a six-year-old.
“You really like her,” she says.
“What makes you say that?”
“You kept looking at her all funny.”
“I didn’t look at her funny.”
“You did.” She takes my hand and tugs me toward the hallway. “It’s okay, Daddy. I like her too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. She’s nice. And she listens. And she’s really pretty.”
“Is she?” My lips twitch. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Dad!” Maisie whines like I’m the most clueless person she’s ever met.
“What?” I laugh. “You’re the prettiest girl I know, Maze.”
21
PLAYING THE GAME
Zayden
We’re careful.
Polite nods as we pass each other.Kill me.
Professional distance during team meals.Slowly.
No lingering looks when anyone might be watching.Torture.
No touching, even when my hand itches to find the small of her back.The worst kind of torture.
She treats me like any other player when we’re around the team—professional, distant, all business.
At least, that’s the plan.
