When the hell did that happen? How did it happen?
It seemed like just yesterday she’d had pigtails and a wide, empty space in her smile where her two front teeth used to be. Those teeth had long ago come in, and she’d traded in the pigtails for a supershort pixie cut that accentuated the fullness of her face. But that would change soon, too. She’d get taller. Thin out. Grow up.
But she still smelled like a little girl, like clean sweat and baby powder. She still hugged him fiercely as if she never wanted to let go.
Love for her swamped him and he hoped she never did let go.
“Hey,” he said, leaning away so he could look down into her pretty face. “How about on Tuesday we go to that new bakery that opened up downtown?”
She stepped back, sent her mom a worried look. “Tuesday?”
“That’s the first day of school, right?” He pulled out his phone. He could have sworn he’d made a note that school started on the twenty-fourth.
“Yes,” she said slowly, sidling closer to Maddie, “that’s the first day, but—”
“Or we can stick with Rix’s Diner if that’s what you’d prefer. What?” he asked when he realized they were both staring at him, Bree rubbing her eyebrow, a sure sign she was upset or nervous.
Standing behind her daughter, Maddie placed both hands on Bree’s shoulders. “Actually, Neil is coming into town Monday night so he can be here for Bree’s first day of seventh grade.”
Neil Pettit, NHL star and original Hometown Boy Done Good, was also Bree’s father.
“Okay,” he said. “What does that—”
“He wants to take her out,” Maddie said softly. “He wants to take us both out. You know, start a new tradition.”
A new tradition.
Ever since Bree was a precocious, chubby three-year-old preschooler, James had taken her out to breakfast on the first day of school. Every year. It was their tradition, one he’d thought meant as much to her as it did to him.
“We could do something else, Uncle James,” Bree blurted. “The two of us. Like, start a new tradition.”
She looked so worried, he couldn’t even get angry she was throwing him a bone. Besides, she was just a kid. A sweet, quiet kid who’d had his heart from the moment he’d first laid eyes on her as a squalling, red-faced infant. Her entire life he’d done his best to be there for her, to fill the void Neil had left when he’d walked out on Maddie twelve years ago.
James had given her time and attention and, in the rare instances she needed it, discipline. For eleven years he’d been the biggest male influence in her life. Had been more of a father to her than her real dad.
Until two months ago when Neil had returned to Shady Grove and decided to be a part of his daughter’s life full-time—or as close to it as possible when Neil played for the Seattle Knights and spent half his time on the other side of the country. Though he still had over two years left before his contract with the Knights was up, he’d made his desire to be traded to an East Coast team sooner rather than later clear. It was only a matter of time, and getting the right offer from another team, before the Knights let him go. But even though Neil wasn’t with Bree on a day-to-day basis, the results were the same. He was Bree’s number-one guy now.
Leaving James to be demoted to favorite uncle.
Change happened. James accepted it, rolled with it.
But that didn’t mean he had to like it.
“Sure,” he said, trying to smile. To reassure her. “We can do something different. You pick.”
“Do I have to decide right now?”
She loved to weigh her options, to take her time and think things through before making any decision, whether it was what kind of ice cream to order or what she thought of the latest book she read. She sure as hell hadn’t gotten that from her mother.
“No hurry,” he said. “You just let me know whenever you’re ready.”
“Why don’t you wait for me in the truck?” Maddie asked, giving Bree a gentle nudge toward the steps. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
“Good night,” Bree told him.
“’Night.”
As soon as Bree was out of earshot, Maddie turned to him. “James, I—”
“It’s fine, Maddie. I’m glad Bree is spending more time with her father.”
He almost meant it, too.
Sure, he wanted what was best for his niece, and Neil was showing that he could step up and be the kind of attentive, loving father Bree needed. But it changed things.
It changed how much time Bree spent with James, how involved he was in her life.
Not that he could complain about it or even let it get him angry or upset. A good guy, wasn’t that what Sadie had labeled him? She wasn’t the only one. Usually, he took it as a compliment; he liked being the kind of man people could turn to, someone they could trust. But there were times when doing the right thing was annoying as hell.
The good not only died young, but they also didn’t get so much as a day off from other people’s expectations. Not even on their freaking birthday.
“Thanks,” Maddie whispered. “Really. I know not everyone agrees with me and Neil getting back together, so your support means a lot to me.”
“I’ve always got your back,” he told her. “No matter what.”
It was what big brothers did. Even if he wasn’t sure support was the right word for how he felt about her reuniting with her high school boyfriend, the man who’d gotten her pregnant at sixteen and left to pursue a professional hockey career.
But, unlike Leo—who’d never liked Neil—James was keeping his opinions to himself. He would sit back and let events unfold, as he always did. And if things went bad, he would be there to pick up the pieces.
“I appreciate that,” Maddie said, giving him another hug.
He sat in the chair, Zoe by his side as they watched Maddie drive down the long, winding driveway and across the street to her own house.
The door opened, but he didn’t turn, didn’t need to see who was there. He easily recognized the sound of her step, the light, citrusy scent of her perfume.
“I hope you’re not still pouting,” Sadie said, sitting at the end of his chair.
“I don’t pout.”
“No? Well, your bottom lip said otherwise.” She took the water from him, sipped. Laid her hand on his knee. “It’s only a game, James.”
Swinging his legs around so they sat side by side, so her hand fell away from his leg, he grabbed his water. “I realize that.”
Though having her wipe the pool table with him was humiliating.
But he hadn’t pouted, damn it.
“It really shouldn’t bother you so much to lose to me. You know no one beats me at eight ball.”
“That’s why no one else will play you,” he reminded her. Not once they learned she’d spent a couple of months in Vegas making her living as a pool shark.
She sighed, as if the entire world was against poor, little ol’ her. “I know. It’s not fun. I’m just glad I can always count on you.”
That went without saying.
Sadie braced her weight on her arms behind her and tipped her face up. Eyes shut, she inhaled deeply, her full breasts rising and falling under her silky tank top.