Page 15 of Make Your Move

“They always talked about going to Ireland.” The sad smile is back on Nova’s lips, yet her eyes are filled with hope. “I think my mother would have liked him to go, even if it was without her.”

Emotion wells in my throat as the sad realization settles in my bones. I can’t imagine sharing a life with someone, having so many plans for the future, only to end up losing them. To go from thinking you have your whole life planned out and to have it ripped away from you completely. To go from having someone with you every day of your life to never seeing them again.

“I can’t even imagine how he must feel, even after all these years have passed.”

Nova stares at me, her expression becoming unreadable as her eyes search mine. “I know he misses her, but I think he’s glad he had the years he did with her.” She pauses as we finish setting everything up. “If he never would have married her, they wouldn’t have had that time together.”

“Doesn’t it seem kind of pointless though?” Pursing my lips, I shake my head. “You build an entire life with someone only to live it alone.”

Her forehead creases as her eyebrows scrunch together. “I don’t think he planned on ever living it alone.”

“That’s what I’m saying, though. You never know what is going to happen.” I let out a deep breath, feeling like I’m struggling to make her understand what I’m saying. “Look at my parents. They got married and had a kid, and for what? So they could get divorced and marry other people?”

“I’m sure they didn’t plan on getting a divorce when they got married either,” she counters, tilting her head to the side. “No one invests themselves in someone else with the notion of ending up alone.”

“But there’s always that chance.”

Nova stares at me for a moment, her expression softening. “There is.”

She tucks her hands into the front pockets of her jean shorts as she stands upright and turns toward the door that leads into the living room. “Come on, everyone!” she calls out to the three of them. “Come eat before the food gets cold!”

Her body moves slowly as she turns back to me. Her eyes instantly meet mine. The softest most ethereal smile dances across her face, and electricity hums in the air between us.

“Some people are worth the risk, Lincoln. You just have to decide who you want to take that chance with.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

NOVA

Last night, Lincoln and Nash left for a few away games they have on the road. It’s only for preseason, so the games aren’t necessarily as important as the ones during the regular season. But I know the boys enjoy the warm-up before their home opener in a few weeks. Before that, they’ll have these few away games and a couple at home.

I’ve gone to some of the preseason games before, but Nash asked me to stop coming to them. He uses those to work out any kinks he may have and doesn’t want anyone he personally knows to be watching him. I always thought it was strange, but he thinks it will jinx the season for him, so I’ve learned to respect his wishes and just wait.

They will be back in a week, so I have the house to myself now. Well, just Posey and me.

I’m not a fan of being there by myself. I’ve spent enough time living with my brother to know the house makes weird creaking noises, and sometimes it sounds like someone else is inside. The house was built in the 1800s. Even though it’s been redone and appears more modern inside, it’s still an old house. And old houses typically come fully equipped with lingering spirits.

One day I told Nash about it when I found a picture turned around on my nightstand, and he laughed in my face. When we were kids, horror movies always scared the shit out of him, so he refused to watch them. I think he just prefers to be ignorant of the possibility of a spirit being around. If he laughs it off and pretends I’m making it up, he’s able to convince himself that it isn’t real.

Even if we have no concrete proof of any spirits, it still freaks me out being alone sometimes. Perhaps I should have followed Nash’s lead and skipped out on watching all those movies when I was younger.

Posey sits on her bed, waiting for me as I grab a book from the shelf. She’s wearing a pair of pink pajamas with little white hearts all over them. Her unruly blonde hair is wet from the bath, but the curls are already forming in her locks. As I sit down on the floor beside her toddler bed, she looks over at me with a smile breaking out across her face.

“Mommy, in,” she says as she gets under the blanket and holds it open for me.

Laughter escapes me, and I brush her hair from her face as I shake my head at her. “I can’t get in there, baby. I’ll end up breaking the bed.”

Posey giggles as she nestles against her pillow. “Otay,” she says with simplicity. Two weeks ago, we were in the middle of the terrible twos where she was saying no to everything. She’s become much more agreeable the past week or so, and it’s been enjoyable.

I know the terrible twos are just a phase, but sometimes she is just a little monster. Defiant and challenging. She’s a free spirit, just like I was as a kid, and she refuses to let anyone or anything get in her way. Thankfully we haven’t had any real bad behavior. Just little tantrums and arguments—nothing I can’t handle.

“Are you ready for your story?” I ask her as I open up the book. Posey nods eagerly and wraps her hands around my forearm as I rest it on her bed. I start reading, flipping through the pages as we look at the illustrations. It’s not a long book, and it only takes her three minutes to fall asleep.

I peel her soft little hands away from my arm, and she stirs before getting comfortable again. I stare at her for a moment, watching her sleep before I force myself to get off the floor. Time feels like it’s moving so fast. It seems like only yesterday I came home with a newborn and no idea of what the hell I was going to do with her.

Now I have a little opinionated two-year-old who loves everyone she meets. Even though having her was unexpected, she is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Giving her one last look from the doorway, I smile at my little girl and flip off the light and close the gate in her doorway. I always leave her door ajar, just in case she wakes up in the middle of the night and needs to get my attention. She hasn’t figured out how to unlock the gate, but she can at least call for me.

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