The fact she didn’t mention the tornado that tore apart that town led him to believe she hadn’t moved here from someplace close. “My ex-wife’s husband got a job out here. Emerald Springs is a three-hour drive. I couldn’t be that far from Skylar.”
Respect shined in Kelsey’s eyes. “That’s pretty awesome you did that.”
“Skylar is everything to me.”
“I can see that.”
“What about you? Where are you from?”
The soft expression immediately vanished as she sat back a little straighter. “The east coast.”
“There are a lot of states on the east coast. Did you live in them all?”
He meant it as a joke, but her expression pinched tighter. What could have happened that she didn’t want to disclose where she used to live?
“The New England area.”
As he was about to press her for more, the waiter arrived with the pizza. He placed it in the middle of the table with three plates. Lance put one each in front of him and Skylar then offered the third to Kelsey.
“No, thank you,” she said, waving her hand. She scooted to the edge of the booth. “In fact, I think I’m going to let you two enjoy the rest of your date.”
At her attempt at a hasty escape, Lance’s curiosity rose even more. She’d been fine until he started asking personal questions. Now it seemed like she couldn’t get away from him fast enough. Lance scrambled to think of a way to make her stay.
“Aw. Daddy, can’t Kelsey come with us to the arcade?”
Oh, Skylar. Thank you.
“Oh no, sweetie,” Kelsey said quickly. “I think you and your dad need a little time together.”
Skylar turned pleading blue eyes directly at him. “Please, Daddy. You don’t care, do you?”
“Nope. I don’t mind at all. In fact, I’d love for her to join us.” Lance sat back against the booth’s cushion and crossed his arms over his chest, silently challenging her.
Her lips pursed together in annoyance as she stared at him then at his daughter. Most likely she was deciding if she should just outright lie to the child and say she had plans.
“Please,” Lance said in his best impression of his daughter. “You wouldn’t want to disappoint a fellow pig lover, would you?”
The tight smile stretched taut. He’d have to make sure to get the relaxed one back at some point tonight.
“I’d love to join you,” she directed to Skylar, then sent him an irritated glance. He had to stifle a chuckle. It seemed he enjoyed riling Kelsey up as much as he did making her smile.
He’d drop the Q and A for now, but he was on a mission. Tonight, he’d learn more about who she was.
…
Ella was onto Lance’s game.
The fact he was playing one was her fault. She’d slipped. While they’d been at the pizzeria, she’d let her guard down.
He’d spent the last hour and a half keeping to idle chitchat, slipping in a personal questions here and there. Like when they’d been talking about training and he’d casually asked what gym she’d trained at back home, or when Skylar had mentioned going to the doctor, and Lance had asked her where she used to work.
She’d somehow gotten around the pointed questions by either blatantly ignoring them or pretending to see something she was interested in. Definitely a coward’s move that made her wish she’d declined the invitation to join them—almost.
She was having fun. After eating, they’d walked down the street to an arcade. Skylar had played everything from Skee-Ball to Fruit Ninja—as long as it gave tickets.
Right now, Lance was standing behind his daughter, who was sitting on a stool while she played Deal or No Deal. The little girl pressed a button, and when the computerized woman opened the suitcase, it revealed the number two hundred. In unison, they groaned. The sight warmed Ella’s heart.
Lance had a special bond with his daughter that Ella couldn’t help but be impressed by. She’d really only seen one side of Lance. The fighter side. This more sensitive, softer side was a huge turn-on—like she needed to be more attracted to the man than she already was.
“What should I do, Daddy?”
“Well, you have two cases left. You’re either holding the one with fifty tickets or the one with two hundred and fifty. If you make a deal, you’ll walk away with one hundred and seventy-five. The choice is yours. You can chance it or take the guarantee.”
“What would you do?”
Lance glanced at his daughter, an odd expression on his face. “I’d take the guarantee.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s never worth it to gamble.”
Skylar scrunched her nose as she stared at the large screen in front of her. Finally, she pressed the Deal button and the machine started spurting out a long line of tickets. The woman on the screen opened the case beside her. Fifty.
“Dang it. I should’ve gambled. I would’ve gotten a lot more tickets.”
“This time, yes, you would’ve, but you could’ve just as easily had the other case. You never know which case life’s going to give you, baby. It’s always better to go with the sure thing.”
Skylar jumped down, tore the tickets off then shoved them at her dad. As he folded them up, she took off toward another game.