27. Caden
Caden
Ithink I’m dying.
I’ve been pummeled under some rough waves out on my board, my body washed to shore with bruises and cuts, but this is entirely different.
“Ah, you’ll be fine in a few hours.” Matt pats me on my drenched bare back as I’m hunched over, hands on thighs. My heart might burst, and with it, my feelings about Fia.
“Fuck, man, I asked you to push me today, but this . . .” I inhale, gasping and pointing at the enormous tire he had me flip down the entirety of my driveway.
“This was twisted,” I finish, dripping sweat, resting my hands on top of my head.
A hearty laugh sounds from Matt.
We stepped inside the garage, and I’ve never been so grateful I decided to get this place fully climate-controlled. The chill air feels like heaven as I drop onto the bench in my gym.
“So how did the interview go for the magazine?” Matt asks, wiping his sweaty hands on a towel. “You actually do it?”
I close my eyes and nod.
Matt loves the limelight. If it’d been him, he would’ve demanded a full spread just of his face.
“Yeah,” I reply, regaining my breath. “Fia actually did most of it. So I’m sure it will be great.”
I finally stand, patting my face off with a clean towel. “There’s a dinner ceremony for the awards too, but I’m not going to that.”
Matt stays quiet. Too quiet.
“You should go, man.” Matt presses his knuckles into my arm. “Stick it to your dad.”
I laugh. “The last thing my father would find impressive is a cocktail dinner.”
Matt grabs his gym bag, and I follow him back outside.
But my attention is immediately pulled off into the distance.
On the side of the house, where a row of hydrangeas are in full bloom, Fia tiptoes slowly behind Daisy, who is on a mission of her own.
Fia’s red hair is piled loosely on her head, and wispy bangs frame her face as a blue sundress sways at her knees.
I didn’t even notice her come out . . . Must’ve happened when we stepped into the garage.
Matt follows my gaze before I can hide it.
“Can I give you some advice?” he asks, throwing his bag into the backseat of his truck.
I scoff, but shrug. “You’re going to anyway, so just say it.”
He tilts his head towards Fia. “I know you have your rules, but sometimes you have to say fuck them.”
I shake my head at my best friend as he flashes a pearly grin and hops into his pickup truck.
“Let’s hit the waves Sunday?” I ask, but Matt winces.
“Sorry, man, Morgan and I are brunching with her parents.”
“Did you just say brunching?” I raise my brows. “Get your domesticated ass off my property.”
As he leaves with a smile and a wave, my eyes fall back to the girl who’s hijacked my mind. And the little one who’s whittled her way into my heart.
“I didn’t know you were training for the NFL,” Fia teases, her green eyes scanning my bare chest as I approach her. I’m still a sweaty mess.
“Had to work off that entire pint of ice cream you forced me to eat.” I pat my exposed abs.
Fia’s mouth drops open. “I did not force you to do anything!”
It’s a strong reaction and the pause stretches between us. I get the feeling she really means anything. She didn’t force me to stay until well past she fell asleep . . . or hold her in my arms.
“That wasn’t meant to be a complaint.” I throw my hands up with a smile.
Fia kneels in the grass, her blue sundress showing off her legs. Daisy hands her a dandelion she yanks from the ground, and Fia smiles, accepting it graciously.
“Thank you, baby,” she coos.
Then Daisy turns around, waddling towards me.
Oh crap.
I squat down, despite my quads burning beyond comprehension.
When I grin at her, opening my palm, she hesitantly places a rock gently in it. I glance down at it, my brows stitching.
“Thank you,” I reply softly, and the toddler stares with a contemplative look on her round face. I clear my throat, slipping the rock into my pocket as I stand.
“Hey . . .” I start and Fia grows still. “You didn’t have any interest in going to that awards dinner, did you?”
She tucks her long bangs behind her ears, trying to hide the pink flush of her cheeks. “Oh, no,” she replies with a little chuckle, but it’s not convincing. “I don’t think I even own anything nice enough for something like that anyway.”
With my hands shoved into my pockets, I shrug. “Right. Well, I didn’t want you to get the idea that this isn’t a big deal—these kinds of dinners just aren’t my thing. I went to enough events like this with my parents growing up.”
Fia sucks her lips in, eyes cast down. “Yeah, no, I get it. It’s okay.”
If it’s okay, then why is my stomach in knots as I’m standing here in front of her.
“You deserve to be recognized for this, too,” I say. “For the award.”
“I have a family thing next weekend anyway,” she adds, looking up at me.
The sun hits Fia’s face as she sways, barefoot in the grass, watching me, waiting for me to say something.
Anything.
“Oh cool, cool.”
Fia leans down, smoothing Daisy’s hair. “By the way, I was going to text Eddie and ask if I could get a look at the house on Monday. I’d like to see the progress with my own eyes.”
They are supposed to be installing the new AC unit on Monday, and I don’t exactly want her to see that, or stress about how to pay me back for that, too.
I palm my chest, shaking my head. “You have your hands full—” My gaze darts towards Daisy, who’s shoving an acorn in her mouth.
“Shoot!” Fia reaches down, fishing it out of her daughter’s mouth.
Yeah, it’s a lie by omission, but I’m helping her. That’s got to count for something, right?
“I was already planning on stopping by Monday morning. Why don’t I take some progress photos for you? You don’t have to waste your time.”
Daisy starts crying, distracting Fia.
“You need a diaper change.” She waves her hand in front of her nose, then her eyes settle back on me. “Sorry.” She smiles sheepishly. “Uhm, sure. Yeah. That is fine, just be thorough, I want to know what’s happening.”
“Will do.” I nod as she starts walking towards the guesthouse.
She turns to wave. “See you later, Caden.”
It’s not until she’s out of sight and I’m still standing in the yard that I realize she didn’t even bring up last night’s incident.
Maybe she forgot all about it.