Chapter 24
Juliet
Striker: Counting down the minutes, pixie. Sharing a room with a snoring goalkeeper has nothing on waking up with you in my arms.
Juliet: Is that why I woke up to a bunch of memes and reels this morning?
Striker: My way of showing I was thinking about you.
Juliet: Smooth, striker.
Striker: We just got on the bus. Two and a half hours until I get to see you.
Juliet: Are you going to tell me what we’re doing?
Striker: Nope.
Juliet: What should we wear?
Striker: Something comfortable.
Juliet: That doesn’t help.
Two hours later, while Tinsley plays in her room after an early lunch, I stand in front of my wardrobe feeling nervous.
Not about Blake. I don’t have any doubts about him.
But for the last eighteen months, it’s just been me and Tinsley.
I don’t know how she’ll react to the idea of Blake spending more time with us.
Tinsley already knows him, and she likes him. But liking him as Everett’s friend is one thing. Understanding that he’s with me is another. She’s been through so much in her short life. I’m scared of how she’ll react to more change.
I settle on a pair of jeans and a lavender knit top, and when I’m dressed, I find Tinsley in her bedroom still in her pyjamas, playing with her dollhouse.
“Hey, princess,” I say, running my hand through her blonde curls. “Time to get dressed.”
“Why?” she asks, scrunching up her little button nose.
I lean down and press a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s a surprise.”
Her face lights up, warming my heart. “What can I wear?”
“Whatever you like, sweetheart. You can choose.”
She runs over to the chest of drawers Blake and Everett put together for her and starts rummaging.
I smile as I lean against the doorframe and watch her hold up a pair of pink leggings with silver hearts and her favourite pair of jeans with a rainbow trim around the ankles, assessing them both before looking over at me.
“Where are we going, Mama?”
“I’m not sure. It’s a surprise for me, too.”
She frowns, but doesn’t ask any more questions, turning back to her clothes. She selects the jeans and pulls out a white long-sleeved top with a unicorn print. As she’s changing, there’s a knock on the door, and anticipation bubbles in my stomach.
I smooth my hands over my hair as I cross the living room to open the front door. My heart stutters as I drink in a freshly showered Blake, dressed simply in black jeans and a light grey hoodie.
“Hey, pixie,” he says, a smirk playing on his lips.
I glance over my shoulder before stepping closer and hooking a hand around his neck, tugging him down to kiss me. His hands grip my hips, and my body heats all over. The sound of little feet coming down the hall causes me to step back just as Tinsley appears.
“Blake!” she squeals, running over to us and peering around him. “Is Rett here, too?”
“Sorry, Sprout,” he says, ruffling her hair. “Just me today.”
She blinks up at him. “Mama’s taking me for a surprise.”
He arches a brow as he crouches down in front of her. “She is? That sounds fun. Do you mind if I join you?”
Tinsley’s curls bounce as she nods, then she looks at me. “Can Blake come with us for our surprise?”
I bite back my grin. “He sure can.”
He holds up his hand, and she giggles as she high-fives him.
“Are you ready?” he asks, climbing to his feet.
I nod, picking up my handbag from the side table and checking to make sure I have my wallet and Tinsley’s EpiPen. “We just need to grab our jackets and shoes.”
Tinsley runs off to get hers, and I pick mine up from the back of the couch, melting into him as he steps up behind me, wrapping a hand around my waist.
“So far, so good,” he murmurs softly, pressing a kiss to the sensitive flesh below my ear. The hope in his tone makes my heart swell.
I smile, spinning in his arms. “It’ll be fine, striker. She likes you.”
“What about her mama?” he asks, grinning.
“Oh, she more than likes you,” I tease.
His warm chuckle sends a tingle through my body as I rest my chin against his warm chest, gazing up at him. “Any hints about where we’re going?”
With a shake of his head, he leans down and presses a kiss to the tip of my nose. “Where’s the fun in that?”
He steps back as Tinsley runs in, wearing her pink jacket and matching sneakers.
“I’m ready.”
She grabs my hand as Blake opens the front door, a rush of cool air sweeping inside. We follow him out to my car, and I unlock it, passing him the keys before I get Tinsley buckled into her booster seat.
“Do you know where the surprise is?” she asks Blake when I climb into the passenger seat.
He smiles at her over his shoulder and nods. “I do.”
“Let’s go then,” she says excitedly, practically bouncing in her seat.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t the—
“Aquarium!” Tinsley squeals when Blake pulls into the car park. “Are we really going here?”
He laughs. “We really are.”
“This is the best surprise ever!”
“Glad to hear it, Sprout. I wonder what your mum thinks?” He arches a brow at me.
“The best,” I echo with a smile.
We climb out of the car, and it warms my heart when Tinsley bounds over to Blake’s side and reaches for his hand. He grins down at her as we navigate the busy car park towards the entrance. “What are you most excited to see?”
“The turtles,” she says without hesitation. “They’re my favourite.”
“No way,” he says. “They’re my favourite, too.”
Her eyes widen. “They are?”
“Yep. It’s super cool how they use their shells to protect themselves.”
She nods, her expression serious. “So no one can hurt them.”
“Exactly,” he says. “They just tuck in and wait it out.”
His words settle deep in my chest. If only it had been that simple for us.
There would’ve been no bruises, no pain, just built-in protection from the vicious words and cruel hands that wanted to harm us.
But we’re not that lucky. All we got were scars that remind us we survived and boundaries we built to protect ourselves. Because of that, we choose to be better and focus on the future, not let the past define us.
I glance at Blake, watching the easy way he is with Tinsley. The way he matches her pace without thinking as she skips along beside him, swinging their hands. He’s so good with her.
“I’m going to tell the turtles we’re friends,” she says. “Then maybe they won’t hide from me.”
He laughs. “Sounds like a plan, Sprout.”
She looks over her shoulder at me, then holds out her hand. “Come on, Mama. You don’t want to get lost.”
“No, princess. I don’t want to get lost.” Smiling at my daughter, I grip her hand in mine as we approach the entrance to the aquarium.
Blake holds the door open for us, his hand brushing my shoulder as I pass, his brief touch heating my skin. When we reach the service desk, I pull out my wallet, but he shakes his head, tapping his own card to pay for the tickets.
“Today’s on me, pixie.”
Tinsley giggles. “You have funny names for everyone, Blake.”
“Not everyone,” he says, ruffling her hair as we head into the aquarium. “Only my best friends.”
She grins up at him. “Me and Mama are your best friends?”
“Is that okay?”
Nodding vigorously, she reaches for his hand again. “It’s okay.”
We drift from exhibit to exhibit at Tinsley’s pace—slow when she wants us to read every sign, and fast when something new catches her eye.
Blake crouches next to her at each tank, patiently answering her questions and letting her chat his ear off.
I hang back, letting them share this bonding moment.
When we reach the tunnel with the sharks and stingrays floating overhead, he lets her climb onto his shoulders, and her giggles echo around us as he secures her legs with his forearm.
“Take a photo, Mama,” she calls from her perch. “Pretty please.”
I pull my phone from my bag and laugh as they pull funny faces while I snap a couple of photos.
A young mother pushing a pram pauses beside me and says, “Would you like me to take a family photo for you?”
I blink at her in confusion, but Blake doesn’t hesitate.
“That would be great,” he says, taking my phone from my hand and passing it to her.
He pulls me to his side, his free hand resting on my lower back, and I smile as I lean into him.
When she passes the phone back, we thank her before glancing down at the photo on the screen.
For a second, I forget to breathe.
“That’s a keeper,” Blake murmurs, and I shiver as his warm breath ghosts over my skin.
“Do we look cool?” Tinsley asks, leaning in between us.
“You look very cool,” I say.
She beams. “We look like a team.”
Blake’s arm tightens around me. “A great team.”
We continue through the aquarium, and when we reach the croc lair, Tinsley squirms on his shoulders.
“Down, please,” she says, patting his head.
He laughs and lowers her to the ground. Once she’s back on her feet, she runs towards the exhibit.
“Having fun?” he asks when he straightens.
I glance over at Tinsley, seeing she’s completely captivated by the crocodiles, and reach up to press a kiss to his lips. “Thank you.”
His hands grip my hips, and he squeezes. “I’d do anything to see those smiles on your faces.”
After stopping for a snack at the café, we finally reach the turtle exhibition, and Blake settles a protective hand on Tinsley’s back as she leans over to watch them slowly glide through the water.
“They’re so cool,” she breathes.
“The coolest,” he agrees.
“I’m going to call that one Shelly,” she says, pointing. “What’s that one’s name?”
“Uh…” Blake looks at me, a slightly panicked look on his face. “Donatello?”
I snort a laugh when Tinsley frowns. “That’s a weird name for a turtle.”
“What about Nibbles?” he asks, rubbing the back of his neck.
She nods. “Much better.”
We hang out with the turtles until it’s almost closing time, then rush through the rest of the exhibits. When we reach the store, Tinsley looks up at me with a pleading look. “Can I get something? Please Mama?”
“One thing,” I tell her. “But you only have five minutes before they close.”
Blake chuckles as she beelines straight for the turtle section. “Shocker.”
She crouches in front of a shelf of glass figurines no bigger than my thumb. Picking through them, she selects a purple one and a yellow one and places them apart from the others. She stares at them for a moment before glancing over her shoulder at us.
“Blake? What’s your favourite colour?”
A look of surprise crosses his face. “Green. Why?”
She studies the collection in front of her before selecting a lime green turtle and placing it with the other two.
I check my watch and see it’s two minutes until closing time. “Come on, princess. You need to choose.”
“They’re all our favourite colours,” she muses, fingering each of the figurines in turn. “Mine.” The yellow turtle. “Mama’s.” The purple. “Blake’s.” The green.
My heart swells as she lingers on the green one.
“Why don’t you get all three,” I say, my throat thick with emotion.
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Really.”
As we exit into the crisp evening air, Tinsley clutches the small paper bag to her chest.
“This was the best day ever,” she declares when we reach the car. “Thanks, Blake.”
“Anytime, Sprout,” he says, grinning at her.
I smile. “It’s not over yet. How would you feel if Blake came home for dinner?”
Her eyes lift to him. “You’ll come to our house?”
“Only if that’s okay?”
She nods without hesitation. “It’s okay.”
I open the back door, and she climbs into her booster seat, buckling herself in while Blake meets me at the back of the car and presses his lips to my forehead.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I ask, biting my lip.
“More than ready, pixie. I’m all in with you.”