Page 85 of How to Prevent a Fumble

Emmett clears his throat.

“Fine,” I say quickly, not giving my brain a single other second to think about it all.

He nods. “I’ll be training every day. Gone pretty early in the morning, coming home early afternoon. I mainly need you to take her to school and bring her home. I assume,” he cocks his head, “that you don’t live super close to the house, so I’m fine if you stay here during the day and do any work that you need, or just hang out.”

I nod as he talks, watching the way his blue eyes look down at his own cup whenever he talks about his job, his fingers growing tighter around the handle.

Emmett loves his job. If there’s one thing I know about the guy, it’s that he loves football more than he loves just about anything else. Most of those guys do, even if I don’t quite understand it. But I can say with certainty that he’s ashamed of not being there for his daughter more.

He’s a single dad,I have to remind myself. Of course he’s going to hate leaving his kid with strangers so much.

Sure, there’s Briar. But I watched Elara for quite a long time. I love the girl, but she’s a handful. I can’t imagine how having both of them all the time must feel.

Speaking of— “Elara is allowed to come over, but you need to let Briar know, and you need to watch those girls like a hawks,” Emmett tells me, holding my eyes. I nod, and Emmett shakes his head. “I know you have history with Elara, but these girls have become,” he thinks for a second. “Insane. They’ve gone insane. You need to make sure they’re not bringing deer or some shit into the house, okay? I don’t get mad very easily but if I come home to find a god damn deer in my home I may just lose it.”

I fight back a smile. “I think this is the most I’ve ever heard you talk other than that night,” I blurt before I can stop myself.

Emmett’s face instantly reddens, and I suddenly feel embarrassed. I should never have said that. “I’m sorry,” I say quietly, looking down.

When I finally look back up, Emmett is examining his cup. “Juniper hasn’t had a mom, well, ever really. She wasn’t old enough to remember her. I just want to make sure she has everything she needs while growing up.”

We fall into a surprisingly comfortable silence. So much so that when the front door opens, we both jump.

“Heidi!” Juniper yells as she runs through. Her whole face lights up with the biggest smile as she rushes me, her arms outstretched. I watch as the door closes behind her, Briar’s car pulling out of the driveway.

“Hey, Juni!” I smile, wrapping my arms around her little body.

“What are you doing here?” Juniper looks at her dad.

Emmett stands against the counter, propped against it at the hip, his arms crossed over his solid chest. “She’s going to be helping out a little here,” he says with a small smile.

“There’s just one more thing we need to discuss,” I tell him quietly.

“Am I going to see you all the time?” Juni pulls at my arm.

“That really depends on your dad!” I tell her with a smile as she spins.

Meeting Emmett’s eyes, I smile. I can feel his intensity from across the room. I can feel his discomfort. I just want him to know he’s made the right decision and that he can trust me.

“I just need to figure out the car situation,” I remind him.

Pushing off the counter, Emmett pulls open a drawer on the other side of the island, and within a split second an object is tossed to me. I barely catch it between my hands.

A key.

“In the garage,” he tells me with the smallest hint of a smile. “I told you I’d take care of it.”

7

EMMETT

It only takes me a minute to realize that I’m fucked.

While Owen and Isla are off exploring somewhere enjoying their lives as a childfree couple, Briar and Leo left the girls to me as they scream at each other in their room. I’d be worried, but the last time I ventured into the building to grab a water bottle from the fridge, I heard a different kind of noise, which is, honestly, not what I want to hear either.

“Guess it’s just us,” I tell the girls as we walk out toward the beach. “Are we allowed to go swimming?” Elara asks.

“Uh, I’m not sure,” I scratch the back of my head, unsure.