Page 24

CHAPTER 24

ZANDER

It takes Zoey all of three seconds to convince me to play with her at the park.

Sienna’s bright smile is working some kind of magic on me, and I’m pretty sure I would do just about anything for either of them right now.

Grady and Teah join us, and Zoey refuses to go anywhere without Wily, so he has to tag along too. Thankfully, he doesn’t seem to mind.

With a football tucked against his side, he walks in front of the stroller, turning to pull faces at Zoey, which causes fits of giggles.

I can’t help laughing or smiling every time that sound pops out of her mouth. It’s adorable.

Wily twirls the ball in his hands, which is a habit I’m sure he’s had since he was old enough to hold a football. As soon as we’re within sight of the park, Grady starts sprinting and calling for a pass. Wily hurls it, but Grady’s already outrun him, and I can’t help a soft scoff.

“Shut up.” Wily laughs. “I’m no quarterback. ”

Grady throws the ball back and I easily catch it, showing off just a little as I send a perfect spiral across the grass. Grady catches it like the pro he is and gets a whistle from his girlfriend.

“Looking good, baby.”

He blows her a kiss, and Wily chases after him.

I linger by the stroller while Sienna unbuckles Zoey and sets her loose. She tries to chase after the big boys, but her little legs aren’t fast enough and she soon runs out of steam.

“She’s so cute.” Teah nudges Sienna with her elbow, and the girls quickly get lost in a conversation.

I run after Zoey, turning back to glance at them and noticing Sienna’s smile grow.

Damn, she is so fucking beautiful.

For a second, it takes me back to watching her in high school. Sometimes I’d get to the cafeteria and she was already sitting at our table, laughing and talking with Olivia and Emily. I’d have to stop and watch her for a second… just drink her in.

But then she’d inevitably sense my gaze and?—

Sienna’s eyes dart to mine, her cheeks turning a pretty pink as she quickly breaks eye contact and tucks her hair behind her ear.

Teah’s still talking, and Sienna nods, then says something that makes them both laugh.

This feeling in my chest is overwhelming and I stop running, turning to face her properly just so I can really drink her in.

“Foobawl!” Zoey yells behind me just before two little arms wrap around my leg.

I lift my foot, and she squeals in delight as I start walking to the playground with her wrapped around my leg.

“Again! Again!” She keeps going until we’ve made it to the sandpit.

As soon as we’re there, she lets me go and takes off for the jungle gym.

I race after her, surprised by her sudden burst of speed. For such little legs, she’s pretty damn quick.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Sienna moving toward us, and I raise my hand. “I got this!”

She nods and stays put, turning back to keep talking with Teah.

I have no idea what they’re discussing, but Sienna’s animated expression tells me she’s into it. She and Teah are the same age, I think, and it makes me wonder if Sienna has had contact with anyone her age since she got pregnant.

From what I can gather, she’s been living with Russell, and before that, she was traveling with her parents and… she cut off everyone from her life in Everett.

Wow.

Checking on Zoey, I spare one last glance in Sienna’s direction, smiling as the girls take a seat on the park bench and continue talking like they’ve been friends for life.

“Wash me,” Zoey demands, and I spin back to watch her climb the little ladder and whistle down the slide.

I catch her at the bottom and hoist her back up. Her padded little butt looks so cute waddling up the ladder, and my insides are pure mush by the time she climbs and slides another dozen times.

After that, she’s running to the swings, and ten minutes later, she wants to check out the rope pyramid thing, which she’s too short for. But damn if she doesn’t give it her best shot.

That determined look on her face reminds me so much of Monica, it knocks the breath out of me for a second.

I’d love to see old photos again. I want to compare what I looked like at that age too.

But all those images are at my parents’ two houses, and… I still haven’t told them about Zoey yet.

I want to get things cleared up with Sienna first.

And although today is a pretty awesome step in the right direction, we’re still on uneven ground. I can sense it.

But having her show up today…

I couldn’t believe it when I heard Wily shout, “Cowgirl!” and then my daughter replied.

They’d come to find me. I could have floated out that door.

After a really hard game yesterday afternoon, I was feeling kind of dark this morning, but one look at Sienna’s face, one sound of Zoey’s giggle, and I was filled to the brim.

I can’t stop smiling as I watch Zoey climb and fail.

“Can I help you?” I walk over to steady her, but she shakes her head.

“No help. Zoey do.”

“Okay.” I raise my hands but hover close by.

She’s getting it. Sort of. If her arms and legs were longer, she’d be scrambling up that thing in a heartbeat.

Her little fingers curl around the ropes and she stretches as far as she can go, making it one step higher .

Looking over her shoulder, she gives me a proud grin.

“Good job, kiddo.” I give her a thumbs-up and keep cheering her on until she gives up and asks for a rescue. Plucking her off the pyramid, I set her back on her feet, and the second she’s free, she charges for the sandpit.

But she doesn’t quite make it, because three teenage boys who are obviously fucking blind come barreling through the playground on their way to the basketball court and knock Zoey right off her feet.

She lets out a little wail as she goes flying, and I race toward her.

“Hey!” I bark at the boy whose knee caused my little girl to lose her balance. “Watch it.”

He turns to me with a sneer as I crouch down and lift Zoey into my arms. “Whatever, man.”

Catching his jacket before he can walk away, I spin him around and eyeball him. “This is a playground for little kids. You don’t come charging through here and knocking them off their feet!”

Zoey whimpers, nestling her forehead into the curve of my neck.

The boy scoffs and tries to shake me off him. “Let go, man.”

“I will when you apologize to my daughter.”

His eyes round, his lips parting as he looks up at whatever’s towering behind me.

“We got a problem here?” Wily’s got his gruff voice on, and although I know it’s all fake, his mean face can be pretty intimidating.

The kid swallows and then jolts when Grady flanks my left side and glares at him too. “What’s up?”

“Uh…” The kid spurts. “S-sorry. I didn’t see her. ”

“Now apologize to her.” I rest my cheek on top of Zoey’s head, and the boy gives me a pained frown before looking at my daughter.

“I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

She sniffs and nods. “Zoey ’kay.”

The boy’s lips twitch and I let him go, calling out to him and his friends as they run away. “You hurt my daughter again, I will end you!”

“Yeah, we get it!” the boys yell back, running around the fence and passing the basketball between them.

I huff and shake my head, glaring after them before looking down at Zoey.

“You okay?” My voice takes on a soft lilt, and she sits up, her big blue eyes gazing at me—so innocent and pure. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

She shakes her head, then wipes her face with her dirty little fingers and asks, “Ice ceem?”

“Oh no, you don’t, you little manipulator.” Sienna appears around Wily. “I know what you’re trying to pull, and you are fine.”

Zoey starts to pout, and Sienna laughs.

“You’ve got these three big Cougars protecting you. You don’t need ice cream right now.”

Zoey pulls a face, which Sienna mimics. It doesn’t take the little girl long to figure out that ice cream is off the menu and she gives up with a sigh, wriggling out of my arms and squealing when Wily pretends to chase her to the sandpit.

I glance down at Sienna, resting my hand on her lower back without even thinking about it.

“All good?” I softly ask .

She gazes up at me with a barely there smile and whispers, “Thank you for protecting our girl.”

“Always and forever,” I assure her before letting her go and walking after Zoey.

Shit, I could have pulled her close right then.

What I wouldn’t give for the chance to kiss those luscious lips of hers.

But what right do I have to do that?