He was sweet to say that.
“Chelsea, I know we said we’d take things slow, and I’m fine with that.”
The strain in his face told Chelsea that was a lie.
“But the more I’m with him, the more it hurts when I’m not. Christmas night was…” He ran a hand through his hair. “It was the best night of my life. I’d like…I want more nights with Lennon.”
“I get that.” She didn’t mention that Christmas night was high on her list of perfect nights too.
Today was the first day Preston had taken Lennon on his own. It was obvious things had gone well, judging by the pictures he’d texted and how content their son was with his father.
Preston blew out a long, slow breath, clearly gearing up to ask for what he wanted. She understood why he was so hesitant to start this conversation, but it was time they had it.
“You want to keep him some nights.” Her insides quivered at the thought of sleeping away from Lennon.
Preston rose from the stool, approaching her with Lennon still nestled in his arms. “Not alone. I wouldn’t ask that of you, because I know you’re not ready for that.” He lifted one shoulder. “But I’ve only seen the nighttime routine once, one bath, one midnight feeding. I liked it, liked being a part of that.”
“It was nice,” she agreed.
“I was thinking…maybe you and Lennon could move in with me. You can live in the guest bedroom with him,” he hastily added. “I know the two of you share a room at your parents’ place. It would add a whole slew of time I get to spend with him. Even if it’s just watching him sleep.”
It was a fair request, as well as a solution to a problem she hadn’t had time to solve. She’d resolved to move out sooner rather than waiting until summer. Preston was offering her not only a place to stay but the same kind of help her parents had been providing. Someone to share the load of caring for Lennon.
Chelsea couldn’t think of a single reason why she shouldn’t say yes.
Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Staying at his place and attempting to sleep across the hall from him was going to be an experiment in torture.
But, from Lennon’s perspective, she knew including Preston in all the things he just mentioned would only continue to strengthen the bond between father and son, and she wanted that desperately—for both of them.
“I think we could do that. Maybe a trial run? See how it goes?”
Preston wasn’t able to mask his surprise at her unexpected agreement, but he recovered quickly, smiling widely. “Okay.”
“Maybe…” She bit her lower lip. “Maybe we shouldn’t bend that rule any more just yet, then. It would add an extra wrinkle…if we’re going to give this living-together thing a fair shake.”
Preston was slower to respond to that request. He made no secret of his hopes for the two of them, and as much as Chelsea wanted to just say fuck it and give in completely, she wasn’t quite there yet.
“Okay,” he said again. “I’ll agree to that—if you’ll agree to move in tomorrow.”
She laughed. “Tomorrow?” Then she recalled Erika’s and Ainsley’s remarks about how quickly their Stingrays had moved them in.
“You know what? Sure. Why not?”
Preston raised a fist in victory. “Hell yeah!”
Then he bent down to kiss her on the cheek before snatching yet another cupcake.
Chapter Thirteen
“Everything is fine. Honest.”
Preston could tell from Chelsea’s tired voice that everything was not fine, but he didn’t call her on it because what the hell could he do to help her, when he was all the way across the country in L.A.?
He’d stepped out into the hotel hallway to call Chelsea, not wanting to disturb Victor, who had fallen asleep three minutes after they’d reached their hotel room.
There hadn’t been time to call her before the game, thanks to some last-minute promotional gig the team’s social media coordinator, McKenna Bailey, had set up. So, Preston had resigned himself to the fact he wouldn’t get to see her and Lennon via FaceTime today, thanks to the damn time difference.
Instead, he texted her just before heading onto the ice to say good night, and to ask her to give Lennon a kiss from him.
