With a roll of my eyes, I challenged, “Haven't you got, you know, another important game coming up? You sure pancakes are wise?”
A cocky grin appeared on his mouth, and he lifted both brows high. “You think I need to worry about the calories?” He indicated his bare chest, his lips twitching.
Unable to stop my traitorous gaze, I gave a far too slow perusal of his chest. Jesus, I was a glutton for punishment.
The reminder of just how young he was and how much of a brilliant future he had slammed into me. Sure, I appreciated every hard ridge and the expanse of skin on display, but comparing it to my own and the handful of grays starting to sprout, it was a rude fucking reminder.
“Yeah, yeah, hotshot,” I settled on. “Pancakes it is.”
CHAPTER6
PEARCE
I agreedto hang out with Eddie and Lottie until their flight. We spent our time the way we usually did when in my town—went to my place and shot hoops with the two of them.
Perhaps it wasn't what some would call the most exciting way to spend my time the day after a big win, not just for the team but for me, but honestly, I didn’t want to do anything else.
“I'm going to sit this one out. You guys are getting all sweaty and gross.” Lottie scrunched her nose, letting us know just what she thought about that.
Eddie shot me a smirk, and we played some one-on-one.
“What are your plans when you get home?” I swooped around him with ease and scored a point.
“Not much.” Readjusting his cap, Eddie got back in position. “I have a couple of meetings. Lottie has her school camp soon, so I need to get whatever gear she needs for that at some point.”
I laughed. “I bet she's looking forward to that,” I said, knowing she wasn't a fan of school trips at all.
“You know it.” He shadowed, just a few inches between us. “It was only the promise of last night's game that stopped her sulking and agreeing to go with no fuss. I swear she plays me something fierce.”
I dodged right, but he was on me immediately. “It's her job to keep you on your toes.” I twisted, found my opening, and landed another point. “She's a kid who knows her own mind. That's a good thing, right?”
A warm smile tilted his lips. “Yeah, it is.” Eddie passed me the ball. “She knows when to push it and not to. She can also handle me saying no without too much fuss.”
Bouncing the ball, I nodded. “She’s an awesome kid, and you're an amazing dad.”
At my words, he beamed at me, a touch of pink touching his cheeks. Rather than call him out, I changed the subject. “So, home alone when she’s at camp? What are your plans?”
“Other than watching you in the finals, you mean?”
I smiled, excitement springing to life, right alongside hope that we got that far. “Obviously,” I said.
“You know me, tucked in by ten most nights.”
I chuckled. “There's nothing wrong with that.”
“Says the twenty-nine-year-old whose idea of an early night is before midnight.”
It was true. I was usually a bit of a night owl, but I could sleep pretty much on cue.
“That doesn't mean I don't appreciate a chilled night at home.” I didn't add that if it was a chilled, or even better, an early night snuggled in bed with him, I'd be more than up for it.
Such comments pushed the friendship boundary a shit ton too far, so I wisely kept them to myself.
Dribbling the ball, I paused at the sound of Lottie calling for her dad. The voice sounded off and had both of us whipping our heads in the direction of the house. Zeroing in on Lottie's small frame in the open garage doorway, I started to move, Eddie a couple of steps in front of me.
“What's wrong, baby?” He went down to his knees as I reached his side.
Pink-cheeked, Lottie's bottom lip wobbled as she clutched her stomach. “My belly really, really hurts.” A pained groan escaped her, tears tracking down her cheeks.
