Page 173 of Pucking Daddy

It still smells faintly like him, clean and warm and something that makes my chest tighten in the best way.

As I step into the hallway, I pause for a second, just listening.

“…and then Mia said I could come over this weekend, and I told her I’d have to ask first, but I think it’s fine, right? Because we don’t have a game then—do we have a game then?”

“No game,” Jaxon says, his voice calm, steady, threaded with that quiet amusement he never quite hides around her. “But we do have to check schedules. You know the rule.”

“I know,” Lily groans dramatically. “Schedules are ruining my life.”

“Tragic,” he deadpans.

I lean against the wall for a second, just watching them through the doorway.

Jaxon stands at the counter, sleeves pushed up, moving with that easy confidence that’s so completely him.

There’s a pan on the stove, something sizzling, and he flips it one-handed while holding his phone in the other, glancing at it briefly before setting it aside.

Lily sits on one of the stools, swinging her legs, her hair still a little messy from sleep, talking a mile a minute.

Jaxon glances up, and the second his eyes find mine, a small smile tugs at his lips.

“Hey,” he says.

I step into the kitchen. “Hey.”

He crosses the space between us in a few easy strides, like it’s the most natural thing in the world, and presses a quick kiss to my mouth.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” he murmurs against my lips.

“Morning.”

“Ew,” Lily says immediately. “You guys are so gross in the morning.”

I laugh, pulling back, and Jaxon just smirks.

“You’ll survive,” he says.

I move to stand beside her, brushing my fingers through her hair lightly. “You okay?”

She leans into the touch without even thinking about it. “Yeah.”

Something in my chest tightens.

“Good,” I say softly.

Jaxon turns back to the stove. “Grilled cheese.”

“For breakfast?” Lily perks up.

“For today? Yes.”

“Best day ever,” she declares.

I meet Jaxon’s eyes over her head, and he gives me the smallest shrug, like what can you do?

I smile.

Some things don’t need fixing.