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7

Sven

I t had been about a week since Winnie and Stacie had come into his world, and while things were still up in the air, they had settled down. It was Saturday morning. Sven had his own game and had missed his sister’s, but he was glad she managed to find some time away from her team. He opened the door to a big smile on his little sister’s face.

“Let me see my little niece,” she said, walking right in.

“Hello to you, too, dear sister,” he chuckled as she brushed right past, barely stopping to slip off her boots. “She’s in the living room.”

He followed Tillie into the living room, where Winnie was on the play mat, playing with toys.

Tillie gasped. “Oh, Sven, are you sure she’s yours? She’s perfect!” she said, kneeling next to the little baby.

“Brat.”

Winnie’s eyes took in Tilda cautiously before her bottom lip popped out and trembled. She fussed and reached for Sven.

“See, she knows who her daddy is,” he said to her as he picked her up. He sat on the couch and reached for the container of puffs on the coffee table.

“Wow,” said Tillie as she came to sit by him. “You’re a dad.”

“Weird, right?” He smirked.

“So weird.”

“Give her these,” he said, handing his sister the puffs container.

“Do you want one of these, Winnie?” she said, holding out a puff in her palm.

Winnie smiled at her, picked up a puff from her hand, and shoved it in her mouth.

“Where’s her mom?”

“Stacie had some errands to run.”

“Does she have a car?”

“No, I let her borrow my Land Rover.”

Tillie pulled back and gave him a look.

“What?”

“You never even let me drive your cars.”

“Well, you’re my little sister, not the mother of my child.”

“So, are you guys... you know,” she said, wagging her eyebrows.

“Tillie . . .”

That was most definitely not something he would be discussing with his little sister.

“What? I don’t want any details or anything. I was just wondering if you guys were going to have a relationship or whatever,” she said, still evaluating him.

Tillie had always been able to read him.

“No. Well . . . No.” He shook his head.

“Sven, you are not hooking up with her!? Tell me you’re not.”

“No! I’m not. I think she wants to, but I want to get all this figured out.”

Her eyes narrowed, trying to decide if she believed him.

“It’s the truth, Tillie.”

“Okay, that’s good,” she said, turning her attention back to Winnie in his lap. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m still figuring it out. I leave tomorrow for a long road trip. They’re staying here. I’ll figure out what happens when we get back. We’ll be home for a little over a week. I have a meeting with a lawyer.”

“What do you want to happen?”

He blew out a breath and ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know. I just want to make sure I stay in her life.”

Winnie’s eyes connected with something, and she began wiggling out of his arms and babbling. The little girl reached for something behind him.

“Hi, baby,” said a feminine voice as both turned to see Stacie standing behind them. Winnie fussed and reached for her. “I think she’s ready for a bottle and a nap. I’ll go put her down.”

“Stacie, before you go, this is my sister, Tillie.”

“Your sister?” she asked Sven. He nodded. She reached her hand out to Tillie. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too,” Tillie said, taking her hand.

Stacie and Winnie disappeared into the kitchen, and Tillie looked at Sven with wide eyes. He just shrugged.

Later that night, Sven was giving Winnie a bath when Stacie came in. She’d been acting weird ever since she found him on the couch with his sister.

“When you’re done, I’ll give her a bottle and put her to bed.”

“Are you sure? I’d like to do it because I leave tomorrow for the road trip,” he answered, his eyes never leaving his daughter as she splashed in the tub.

“Oh, okay.”

“Do you have everything you need while I’m gone?”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine.”

“Is everything okay?” He glanced at Stacie.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know, you just seem kind of off.”

“Nope, I’m good.”

She left, and Sven got back to getting Winnie ready for bed. After giving her a bottle and rocking her to sleep, he laid her down. He quietly made his way down the long hallway to his room.

When he opened the door, he saw Stacie on his bed again. At least she was dressed this time.

“What’s going on?”

“I just . . . I don’t know . . .” she said, looking away from him and sniffling.

Before he knew what was happening, she was in his arms, crying.

“Shhh,” he said, trying to soothe her, even though this was incredibly awkward.

“I just get so lonely,” she said before pulling back and trying to kiss him.

He pulled back and didn’t let the kiss land. “Well, when I get back, we’ll find a Mommy and Me group or something like that. We can find you some friends.”

“I need more than a friend, Sven,” she said as she tried to kiss him again.

He stepped away from her and nudged her back. “Stacie, that’s not going to happen.”

“Why?”

“I think it would just complicate things. I think it would be best if we just keep this about Winnie. When I get back, let’s find you an apartment.”

Her mouth dropped open, and she looked as if she’d just been slapped.

“It’ll be a nice apartment,” he said, trying to comfort her. “I’ll pay for all of it. I promise. And I want to see Winnie whenever I can. I’ll take care of you guys. She can even stay with me when I’m in town so you get a break. I want to help you and be a father to my daughter.” He pulled back and looked at her carefully. “But that’s it.”

The look on her face turned icy. He needed to talk to his lawyer—and fast—to make sure he would always have access to his daughter in case Stacie got angry at him. Something about this situation was starting to feel off.

He didn’t know what to think.