I exhaled a soft breath, admitting, “With Jayden and Sutton gone, it makes you the only active League player, and with you making the playoffs, I know how that can go. Things get busy. Priorities can change.”
He quirked his brow. “You think I'm a flake?”
There wasn't a hint of anything but his usual sweetness and humor in his tone.
“Maybe,” I sassed, earning me a throw cushion to my face. I chuckled.
“Is that right?”
Our gazes connected and my laugh smoothed out into a you’re-so-full-of-it-but-what-you-gonna-do-about-it smile. “No. No flakiness in sight.” The more I'd learned about the man, the more I appreciated that was the absolute truth. He wasn't even thirty, yet he was more together than a lot of guys my age.
It had only been in the last year or so I'd fully realized or accepted that.
“But to answer your question, yes, I'll be there. I may not do the full six weeks every year, but for the moment, it’s doable.” He shifted on the couch opposite me and threw his long legs up, getting himself comfortable. “How about you?”
“How about me what?” In response he quirked his brow. I huffed, knowing exactly what he was getting at. “Yes, I'll be there. Moira can only take Lottie for two weeks, though. The rest of the time she’ll be in Hong Kong.”
“So does that mean Wayne's taking care of her?”
I didn't miss the tic in his jaw when he said Wayne's name, nor the distaste at the possibility of him looking after my girl.
“Or is Moira taking her to Hong Kong?”
I couldn't help but laugh at the look of horror when he said those words.
“She's not that bad. She's Lottie's mom and loves her.”
“I'm not saying she doesn't. I'm just worried she'll leave her in a meeting or add her to a deal in a merger or something.”
Humor touched his words, but I understood the undercurrent of seriousness in his tone. While I had joint custody of Lottie, for the last year, Lottie had lived with me full-time since her mom’s work had taken her overseas.
Moira's business made for a busy life, one that didn't gel with being a shared-custody mom.
Whenever she was local and had the time, my ex would swoop in, clouded in Chanel perfume, and spend time with our girl, spoiling and doting on her. She loved Lottie unconditionally but preferred to love from afar through five-minute video calls.
Lottie and I had a great life and bond, though. Sure, she missed Moira, but my love for her was enough. At least I hoped it was. “I'm actually thinking of sending her to my parents.”
When Pearce went bug-eyed, I choked on my sip of beer. “Fuck,” I spluttered.
“You deserve to choke if you send her to Alabama.”
I gasped for breath while snorting out a harsh laugh.
“She hates it there. Last year your mom tried to get her in that beauty pageant. How'd that turn out?” Nothing but pure, unadulterated glee reflected in Pearce's face, and he knew he had me.
“She cut up Dad's church suit and wore that while chanting ‘beauty pageants suck' on stage.”
A soft smile formed on his mouth. “Proudest day of my life.”
My heart clenched, thinking the exact same thing. Pearce would be an amazing dad someday, something I knew he wanted. I ignored the taunting voice telling me if I'd accepted his offer to hook up, maybe he'd be an amazing dad now.
That ship had sailed.
“Just bring her to Montview.”
“Are you crazy?”
“She'll love it. Hell, just think of the profiles she'll make on the college kids. She'll get them signing contracts with her, promising she can be their agents after college.”
