Page 154 of Learn Your Lesson

Chloe had been sleeping in the pool house, but she was slowly moving things inside — including the cats, who now roamed freely throughout any room they desired. She’d been busy with school, the year picking up after spring break as summer drew closer and closer.

Now, it was another home game day, and in-between my post-morning-skate nap and my report time at the arena — Chloe and I were telling Ava about us.

Where I wore my nerves on my sleeve as we gathered her at the dining room table, Chloe looked calm as ever. She smirked at me, squeezing my wrist with one comforting hand before she started talking.

Ava was dressed and ready for the game, excited to be able to attend since it was a Saturday night. It was also the first time she’d been able to wear her hockey jersey since she got injured. It made my heart squeeze to see her in my number, to feel the excitement radiating off her.

I knew once I got her into hockey this summer, I’d never get her out of it.

I hoped she’d find a home in it just like I had, that I could bear witness to her playing in a women’s league down the line.

She and Chloe were chatting away about the game, how Ava couldn’t wait to get popcorn and throw her stuffed animal on the ice when we won. Chloe told her she’d have to explain the rules to her like always, and Ava wasgroaning and pretending it was an inconvenience when I knew she secretly loved it.

Eventually, Chloe turned to me, arching a brow with an encouraging dip of her chin. “Well, I’m going to use the restroom before we leave. I’ll be right back.”

She squeezed my shoulder as she left the room. We’d both decided that it would be better for me to tell Ava alone first, to give her a moment to process between the two of us.

But with Chloe gone now, I was as scared as ever. That woman really had become a lifeline to me.

I took a deep breath, leaning my elbows onto the table. “Before Daddy goes to the rink, there’s something we want to talk to you about.”

Ava was kicking her feet under the table, but they stopped swinging at that, her little eyes flicking to mine. It was wild, how kids could pick up energy like that. She knew what I had to say was big, that this wasn’t normal for us.

“Okay,” she said tentatively.

“You know how Chloe has been living out in the pool house? How we hired her to be your nanny back in January?”

Ava nodded with a wide grin. “It’s been the best.”

“It has been,” I agreed. “And we’ve all been hanging out a lot, haven’t we?”

“Mm-hmm,” Ava said. “We’re best friends!”

My heart squeezed, and I looked up at the ceiling a moment before bringing my gaze back to hers. “We sure are.”

I watched my daughter for a long moment, praying what I said next would bring her comfort and happiness and nothing else. But this was all foreign territory to me.

“What would you think about Daddy and Chloe maybe being more than friends?”

Ava frowned a bit, and I realized that wasn’t the best terminology. How the heck would my five-year-old daughter know what I meant when I said that?

Fortunately for me, Chloe slid back into the room then, leaning against the door frame with a soft smile.

“You know how we watchedTangledtogether, and how much you loved it?” she said, crossing the room to sit next to Ava again. Ava nodded excitedly, and Chloe smiled. “Well, your dad and I are like Rapunzel and Flynn.”

Ava’s eyes widened a bit, her gaze floating to me before she smiled and hid her face. “You mean you two like tokiss?!”

“Maybe,” Chloe teased, tickling Ava, who squirmed and laughed and finally dropped her hands from her face to look at us again.

“Do you love her, Daddy?”

My heart nearly burst out of my chest, and I blew out a long breath, reaching over to grab Chloe’s hand in mine. “I do,” I whispered. “Very much.”

Ava smiled, looking between us, and then she shrugged, kicking her feet. “Okay.”

“Okay?” I asked.

“Do you have any questions for us?” Chloe added. “Anything you want to know?”