“Driving you up a wall because you like him?”

Kayla sputters out a, “No!” But her face turns a deep shade of pink, telling me she’s full of crap.

“Anyway,” she continues. “I’m here, not to talk about Bentley, but to tell you we were supposed to go get our shot almost two weeks ago. You always make the appointment. Can you make it for us, please?”

“Yeah, I’ll call tomorrow. I completely forgot. Ever since the fire, it’s been crazy.”

“Yes, it’s definitely been crazy lately. I better get back to work. Don’t want the boss to fire me,” she says with laughter in her voice as she gets up and walks to the door.

“You know, eventually, you’ll talk to me about Bentley.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She waves me off before leaving my office.

Two o’clock rolls around and I head out to get Bella. Cooper texts me he’ll be working late at the gym and to please save him dinner. I smile at that. Before I moved in with Cooper, I didn’t do a whole lot of cooking and it definitely wasn’t healthy. Because Cooper’s a fighter, he’s a health freak and has to eat a certain way. He’s been teaching me about eating healthy and we’ve been cooking together. With him at the gym so often, I’ve started to find recipes and surprise him with dinner when he gets home. He seems to really love my cooking and it makes me want to cook for him more often. It also doesn’t hurt that I’m shedding the few pounds left after having Bella.

Eight o’clock comes around and I’m tucking Bella in bed after I finish up reading her a bedtime story. She’s eaten, completed her daily reading, watched some television, and is freshly bathed, in her pajamas.

“Mommy, can I please stay up and wait for Daddy? Please!” She begs like she does most nights when Cooper isn’t here to tuck her in. We’re lucky he has a flexible schedule, so if needed, he can be home any time. With the fight coming up and him the owner of the gym, he’s been staying late to help with Bentley’s training and such. Bella and I both miss him, but I try to bring her by the gym as much as possible to see him if I know he’ll be working late.

However, today Bella had a playdate, so we weren’t able to stop by. I want to let her stay up, knowing it’s important to her to say goodnight to him, but Cooper can be there extremely late, and she needs to get her rest. Plus, if I say yes once, she’ll continue to ask, so I never let her wait up. The problem is my consistency doesn’t deter her from continuing to ask every single time Cooper isn’t home on time. I make it a point not to tell Cooper since he has this crazy notion, he must spend every waking moment making up for lost time or he’ll receive the award for worst father of the year. If he knew Bella begs for him on the nights he’s not here he’d feel even worse.

“No, Angel. We’re not going to discuss this again. When Daddy isn’t home you go to bed on time. You’ll see him in the morning.”

And cue my four-year-old’s tantrum. Tears pour down her face instantly—I swear they’re crocodile tears because really? How does one produce real tears that quickly? But she still looks absolutely heartbroken and pitiful, and as a mother, that’s hard to deal with, especially when it’s because of how much she adores her father and not over something materialistic.

“Mommy, it’s not fair! I miss him when he’s not home and he misses me. I have to go to school all day. I want to drop out of school and be a fighter like Daddy.”

And now I’m about to cry right along with her.

Twenty-Nine

Cooper

I try so hard to get home by eight on the nights I don’t see Bella at the gym, never wanting to go a day without spending time with my little princess. Our time together is so precious, and I never want to take it for granted.

Tonight, Bentley and I were working on some grappling techniques for his upcoming fight and I completely lost track of time. When I realized how late it was, I ran out the door without even showering and rushed home determined to kiss my sweet little girl goodnight.

Growing up, my dad barely ever made it home, nor did he care to. My mom was the only one who tucked me in at night and the unhappier she became, and the more she went out, the more often a babysitter tucked me in. I don’t ever want to become my dad and I never want to drive Liz to become my mom.

There are moments in life when one small thing happens that shouldn’t be a big deal, but it is, and it changes everything. It changes the way you see yourself, it changes the way you see those around you, and it changes the way you view the situation. I would define this moment as just that, a life-changing moment.

Tags: Nikki Ash Fighting Romance
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