Chapter 30

Two weeks left until Christmas sure hasn't left me with the best options for a damn tree. It's almost like part of me forgot the holiday was approaching, even though I'm reminded of it every time I step outside of my apartment.

I don't hate holidays, I just don't get overly into them like a lot of people do. I've never had more than a small tree in my place aside from when my sister lived with me and did the decorating. But how fair has that been to CeCe? Sometimes, I think I forget she's still a kid and needs that magic and wonder.

"This one is a little sad looking," Summer says, tugging at the branches.

We've been to three tree farms and haven't found one that CeCe is jumping up and down for yet. I have half a mind to go to the local store and pick up a fake one, but CeCe was so excited when I mentioned getting a real one, I can't go back on that now.

"This one!" CeCe shouts behind me.

The tree is lopsided and barely as tall as me. The branches are still a lush dark green, though, and as I stare at it, looking at Cece and then back to the tree, I feel like I could work with this.

"I knew you'd find the best one they had." Summer places a hand on CeCe's head as I leave them standing near the tree and head to the guy at the front to pay.

Hauling it upstairs shouldn't be this difficult, but branches are scratching my face and the tree stump is wet and dewy from sitting in water. Summer snorts as she tries to help and we both end up pulling the tree in opposite directions, but I'm stronger than her and end up pulling her body down nearly on top of the tree itself as we walk it down the final stretch in the hallway.

"Looks like you've got it," she breathes out, laughing.

Summer could have gone home hours ago. She could have said no when I asked her to stay and decorate or go shopping for a tree. She didn't have to make CeCe hot chocolate and help hang a Christmas banner in her bedroom. She wanted to. She wants to be around CeCe just as much as I do and it pulls at something in my chest.

When it comes to dating women, I'm a package deal with CeCe. I've never introduced anyone to CeCe, primarily because I haven't actually dated anyone in years. But the thought of ever bringing a woman around her made me feel so fucking uneasy. Summer and I aren't dating, in fact, we're not doing much of anything aside from fulfilling a physical need we both seem to have. Except, something in me wants there to be more. Summer's always been around, but she fell into our lives last month in a more consistent way and now I don't know how the hell we're supposed to just stop seeing her when the season is over and I don't need the help.

We've spent the afternoon getting the tree set up and decorated. Summer said she didn't want to take away the father and daughter experience from CeCe, so she mostly sat back and told us where ornaments were needed as CeCe and I decorated the tree. A lot of them are clumped together at the bottom, nothing really matches and she basically just threw the tinsel on the tree in one spot on the side. But it's perfect.

"Here," Summer says, handing me a small star to place on the top.

"Come here." Scooping CeCe in my arms, I lift her toward the tree. "It's not done yet. You need to place the star on the top."

She stretches her arm, reaching for the top and I hoist her up a little bit further, guiding her hand to place it where it needs to go.

"Perfect." Summer stands near the side of the couch, holding a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a bowl of her overly buttered popcorn in the other. And when I look at her in this moment, I see something I couldn't have predicted, something I never expected I'd want with Summer.

I want more .

More of this. More of her. More of her with my daughter. More late nights and early mornings. More smart ass remarks and flirtatious comments. More text messages, the dirty and the sweet. More walking into my home after a long day and seeing her .

"Thanks for your help," I say to Summer as the day winds down.

She rolls up the sleeves of her blue sweater, cuffing them just below her elbows. There's a peacefulness about this evening. CeCe is laying on the couch watching a show before bed and Summer and I just finished going over the next two weeks when I'll need her help. With my mom still being in town, Summer won't be around too often to watch CeCe, but that doesn't mean I don't want to see her.

"You should hang some Christmas lights outside," she says, staring through the sliding glass door.

When I don't answer I hear her mumble under her breath, and I just shake my head knowing Summer can't stand a silent moment.

"Or, you know what? They have twinkling lights you can hang that I bet CeCe would love."

She presses her hands together gently. A little tick I've noticed she has sometimes.

"Are you all talked out for the day?"

A low chuckle leaves my chest as I lean one hand on the counter and position my body toward hers. She inhales and her eyelashes flutter my way.

"Go on a date with me."

She pulls her head back. "What?"

"I want to take you on a date. Will you go on a date with me?"

"Just the two of us?"

"Well, that's generally what a date is, isn't it? It's been a while since I've been on one, but I don't think the premise has changed."

Her cheeks turn red as she looks at me blankly. I imagine the same thoughts are running through her head that ran through mine earlier when I had this idea. We've never intentionally hung out just the two of us, there's always been a reason, an event, an outing, a storm—putting us in the same place at the same time.

"Okay…" she says slowly.

"I'll make arrangements with my mom for CeCe," I assure her.

"Okay," she says with more enthusiasm this time, pulling at the hem of her sweater.

"Eight o'clock tomorrow night, I'll pick you up."

"Oh." Her eyes widen in front of me. "Like a real date date?

"Well, yeah. What'd you think I meant?"

"I just… I think I'm in shock. Chase Hunt just asked me out on a date… I have to get home and add this to my diary."

She brushes her hand against my abdomen and even the slightest touch sends all the blood in my body rushing south. A smug smile spreads over Summer's face and she backs away only leaving me wanting more as she says goodbye to CeCe, and waves to me from the door.

"Tomorrow." She points at me with a smile, and I nod.

We only have a couple more games left in the regular season and therefore practices have felt a lot more intense than usual. We're in a position to be in the playoffs, but we won't get that first round bye week that we've become so used to having. Wildcard weekend is where we'll begin and hopefully continue our playoff run.

"What are you staring at?" I ask Liam as I approach him on the sidelines. His focus is on the group of reporters in a circle on the opposite side of the field.

"What do you think that's about?" he asks me, gesturing to all of them talking.

"Player interviews, probably."

"Nah," Liam says, shaking his head. "Look. Just watch her."

When he says her , I look more closely, seeing the woman he's talking about is Demi Sanchez. She's a sports reporter who has handled a lot of our team interviews and game day reports for years. She's also very active in Nate's foundation. She hosts a podcast and did a live show at one of his events last year, sharing her own experience with mental health and she had a handful of athletes on the panel to talk about their struggles too.

Demi wipes her cheek as two other women stand around her, one clutching Demi's arm in what looks like it's meant to be a comforting manner. I've only ever seen Demi be as professional as they come. So, I'm surprised when it looks like she's having a personal moment out on the field.

"I knew something was wrong," Liam yanks his helmet from his head. "I'll fucking kill him."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who are you talking about? Kill who?" I ask.

Nate walks up to us with a bottle of water in his hand, squirting it at Liam like a child.

"Cool off, man."

"Did I miss something?" I ask again.

"Mia told me about an article she saw last night about Demi and Brandon." Nate shakes his head, and we all watch as Demi regains her composure and walks back into the building, out of sight.

"Yeah, we've all met him. Nice guy." I say.

Liam scoffs and spits on the field. "Piece of shit guy."

"The article said that Brandon had an affair and left her weeks ago. I don't know how much of it is true, but you know… leave it to Mia, she'll find out what happened."

My jaw drops. "No fucking way."

"Please, let me run into that motherfucker at an event or better yet on the street without press so I can level his ass," Liam mumbles as he walks by us and to the locker room.

Nate and I exchange looks and Ford jogs up beside us as we begin to make our way in as well.

"Well, well, well…" Ford says immediately. "I hear someone's got a date."

Nate's head spins toward me and I don't bother trying to hide it or downplay anything.

"Yeah. I'm taking Summer out tonight."

"My guy," Nate says, slapping my shoulder. "I take it your no kissing again rule flew out the fucking window."

"Yeah, about immediately after I made it, to be honest."

Both of them laugh and shake their heads as we enter the building.