Page 38 of Meant for Mayhem

“And touching?”

“That’s your call,” Mikko said. “In Finland, everyone cares more about personal space than displays of affection. For my parents, if I hold your hand, that’s enough to signal that this is serious.”

I scrunched my nose, finding that hard to believe. “Really?”

“Yes. My parents have never met a woman in my life before.”

My body turned toward him without me even realizing I’d done it. “Ever?”

“My mom is in a wheelchair. Both of my parents were Olympic athletes—that’s how they met—but my mom was in a ski accident when I was a child.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

He waved me off. “She’s the most capable person I’ve ever met. Don’t feel bad for her.”

“What about your dad?”

Mikko’s jaw tensed, the first time I’d seen him do that today. Considering the day we’d had, I took note.

“Not good?”

“He’s the Finnish national hockey coach.”

“Ah,” I said, understanding dawning on me. “So, let me guess. He’s hard on you? Never quite enough for dear old Dad?”

He looked at me, those bright blue eyes shining with emotions he didn’t need to say out loud.

“Hey.” I shrugged. “You don’t need to explain Daddy issues to me.”

“How is your father?”

“No clue,” I said. “Your little spat with him last winter gave me the courage to go no-contact, something I should have done long ago.”

“And your mother?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

The conversation dropped back into silence, but it wasn’t as awkward as I would have assumed. Neither of us had anything to say, so we just… didn’t.

I liked that.

Soon enough, Mikko took an exit close to downtown, headed toward high-rise condos. Leena stirred in the backseat, sensing the change in speed, and I looked behind me to check on her.

“Will this nap interfere with her bedtime?” I asked, realizing I knew next to nothing about their daily lives. “What do you want from me tonight?”

“When I’m home, she’s my responsibility,” Mikko said as he took a left turn into a parking garage. “I’m her father, and I want the chance to be that.”

That took me by surprise, but it shouldn’t have. Every single moment I’d observed Mikko and Leena together he was nothing but attentive to her, so maybe I should have even expected it.

“Okay.”

He pulled into a parking spot near the elevator, then cut the engine. “Bedtime is a struggle. I tried to adjust her to my own schedule, hoping to get more time with her each day, so she wakes up late and stays up late. Maybe that’s selfish.”

I shook my head. “I think you’re doing your best to adapt to a life that fits both of you. If that’s what works, then it works. No guilt trip here.”

Mikko’s eyes searched my face the way he so often did, as if he was trying to decide if I meant what I said.

“No lying, remember?” I said, one brow arched.