“Just saying. If he's as good with kids as he is with a hockey stick …”
Paige groaned. “That's so cheesy.”
But Mom didn't care. She cut to the chase instead. “Is there something going on between you two, Paige?”
“I—I don't really know,” she lied.
“Well!” Mom clasped her hands together and stared at her husband. “That's a better answer than an outrightno,isn't it, honey?”
Dad agreed with a stoic nod of his head.
“How exciting,” Mom said.
All eyes turned to watch as Irie entered the room. She held Lance's finger in her tiny fist, marching her father into the kitchen.
“Where is she taking you?” Mom asked with a laugh.
“I don't know,” Lance said. “She just grabbed my hand and raced in here. I think she wants to show me something.”
“I think she wants to show you herotherhockey buddy,” Dad said.
Everyone watched as Irie led Lance across the room and over to Rascal, the schnauzer, who laid tuckered out in his dog bed. Irie plopped onto the fluffy bed next to Rascal. She thumped his side with her small fists and imitated a dog's bark,arf arf!
Alarmed, Rascal raised his head.
“Oh, you wanted to show me the doggie. Can you pet him nicely, though?” Lance asked, showing her how to kindly pet the dog. “Gently? Like this?”
Irie followed Lance's lead. She opened her fist and gently ran her fingers over the dog's ribs instead, and Rascal laid his head down again.
“Good! Yeah, that's perfect, Irie. See? He likes it.”
Paige caught Mom's victorious glare from across the table. Mom mouthed the words,good with kids!
“Irie's pretty adorable, isn't she, Lance?” Mom asked.
“She'samazing. She's so smart,” Lance said, practically gushing over his daughter. “She can really shoot a ball, too. I couldn't believe it. This girl might have a future in hockey herself.”
“Told ya,” Dad said with a smirk.
Paige started to worry that Lance was so enamored with Irie, he just might suddenly announce himself the father—but the more Paige thought about it, the more she began to think that wouldn't be theworstthing in the world. Hey, if he was really ready to step forward as the Dad? If Paige and Lance could be a united front in raising Irie? That'd only make it that much easier to come clean about their past.
But Mom, bless her heart, was compelled to continue her sales pitch. “Lance, can you believe her father doesn't want anything to do with her? A daughter as cute and lovable as Irie?”
Lance lowered his head and quietly petted Rascal with Irie.
“Mom,” Paige reprimanded her.
“What? It's true.” Mom said defiantly. “Lance, did Paige tell you about her ex, Adam?”
He cleared his throat and spoke tentatively. “She told me a little about him, yeah.”
“Did she tell you that he'd rather smoke pot than be a father to his daughter—”
Paige glared over the table. “Do wereallyneed to talk about this right now?”
“Well? It's true. Arealman would want to be around to watch his daughter grow. You don't get those moments back, Paige. Once they're gone, they're gone forever—”
“Okay,Mom, that's enough,” Paige snapped.
