“Or,” Keane said, “we can just put her back outside where she was doing a great job of being a dog mom.”
Dani’s silent glare was so intense, Keane turned around and walked away. Dani was a naturally sweet girl, but like any cat, she had a temper.
“Is putting them in your room necessary?” Shay asked. He wasn’t put off by his daughter’s glares. That was why she rarely bothered to level them at him.
“It’s the cleanest room in the house because I make sure it’s the cleanest.”
“The house isn’t dirty.”
“But you could eat off my floor if you were so inclined.”
“If I was so inclined?” Shay said with a laugh.
“And,” his daughter went on, lifting her arm high, her hand holding the tome that Charlie had given her so Shay couldn’t avoid seeing it, “according to the book, at this age, the puppies need to be fed every three to four hours. And they need warmth. And their mother needs to lick them to help with their”—she stopped short and looked around at her two uncles and Shay before whispering—“bodily functions.”
“Ew,” Keane said, lip curling in disgust.
“Cats do the same thing,” Finn argued.
“Ewwwww.”
“Not shifter cats, you idiot. Cat cats. We, shifters, are born human . . . and like most humans, we start pooping and peeing on our own, I guess. Wait . . . do we?”
“So they’re going to be in your room, peeing and pooping all over the place?” Keane asked. “And you want that?”
“I want them to be safe and healthy and confident in their surroundings. Not outside with two big male dogs and all sorts of other animals running around, scaring them. And you’re not going to get in my way, Uncle Mean.”
“Uncle Mean, huh?” Keane demanded, picking up a squealing and laughing Dani. “Let me show you how mean I am!” he said, tossing Shay’s daughter in the air.
He loved watching his older brother with Dani. It was one of the only times the man ever smiled or laughed. Not since their dad had died . . . well. Yeah. That horrible day, when they’d gotten the news, they’d all changed. Everything had changed. Only when he was with Dani or Nat did Keane remind Shay of the brother he used to be.
Shay’s new phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out. As soon as he saw his daughter’s mother was calling, he said to Keane, “Put her down. And you”—he pointed at Dani—“get your room set up so Princess and the pups can relax. They had a big day.”
“According to the book, Daddy, you shouldn’t have taken the puppies or Princess out of the house. They’re not vaccinated yet and—”
“Can you chastise me about all the things I did wrong later, baby?”
“Okay.”
Shay waited until Dani led Finn and Princess up the stairs to her room.
Once his daughter was gone, he walked outside and called her mother back.
“Hi, Chu,” he said as he leaned his ass against the front of the SUV, facing away from the house so he could have some privacy.
“Hey, Shay. How’s it going? How’s life?”
Shay immediately rolled his eyes. He always knew Chu was up to something when she started out asking him how he was doing, because she really didn’t care how anyone was doing. A true tigress, Chu didn’t bother with memories of good times or arguments over . . . well . . . anything. She didn’t even worry about child support. Instead, they’d equitably worked it out so Shay paid for Dani’s private school education and future college tuition and let the kid stay with him and his family anytime Chu wanted her to, which was way more than one would think.
Honestly, he’d be fine with Dani living with him full time, but she loved her mother, and he didn’t want her to ever feel she had to choose. Because she didn’t. Not when he understood Dani’s mother the same way he understood Keane. At the end of the day, the pair of them only cared about two things: grudges and football.
“What’s going on, Chu? What do you need?”
“Would it be okay if Dani stays with you for a little bit?”
“Why? What are you doing?”
“I . . . uh . . . I have a boyfriend and we’re going to go to a hotel and bone for a few days.”
Shay sighed. “Chu, don’t lie to me.”
“Fine! I was with the boys at their two-week football training camp, and I was showing the coach some moves he hadn’t seen before—”
“Because they’re full-human and haven’t seen anything that shifter football has to offer.”
“Whatever. I promised I’d stay and help out as a team mom. But not if Dani can’t stay with you—”
“Of course she can stay with me.”
“Are you sure? Because if it’s going to be a big deal—”
“My daughter staying with me is never a big deal.”
“I bet Keane has a problem with it.”
“Keane doesn’t have a problem with Dani staying here. He has a problem with you. Mostly because he still hasn’t forgiven you for that playoff game six years ago.”
“He got in my way.”
“We were on the same team!” Shay stopped, let out a breath. “Look, Chu, it is what it is. I just want my baby to know she’s loved.”
“She’s loved. I let her know she’s loved. I love my daughter.”
“Then stop dropping her off at the house without telling me. No one was home when she came today, and I’m worried we’re going to give her a complex.”
“It was a last-minute thing.”
“I don’t care. She can be here whenever she needs to be. That’s never a problem. But I don’t want her to feel like she’s being tossed around all over the place. She needs to feel confident and safe. Oh, shit.”
“What?”
“That’s kind of what she said about the fucking puppies.”
“What puppies?”
“Forget it. Do you want me to put her on the phone so you can talk to her?”
“She has a phone. I already texted her.”
“You . . . you texted her you were leaving her here?”
“Yeah. Why?”
Shay closed his eyes and shook his head. “Nothing. Just . . . nothing.”
“Don’t be such a drama cat, Shay. I swear, all you Malone boys. Thankfully, my daughter is not nearly as sensitive as you.”
“Uh-huh.”
“And just so you know, she could have come with me today. She didn’t want to.”
“I can’t believe I have to say this to you again, but our daughter hates football!”
“No need to yell it. I know. But I just want you to know she did have options, and when she said she wanted to stay with you instead of coming with us . . .”
Not wanting to have this discussion yet again, Shay said, “I’ll take care of it. Talk to you later, Chu.”
She disconnected the call. Didn’t even say goodbye. An action which in no way signified she was angry. It was just Chu’s way.
Still shaking his head, Shay turned back toward the house. Only to find Keane standing in front of the door.
“She’s leaving her here again?”