Page 76 of Winning Brynn

"Okay." I nod, fighting to hide my giddiness that he's willing to come. "We leave in an hour."

"We're so excited to have you here today, Mr. Sullivan," Miss Jessica greets Leo, beaming from ear to ear. "We have some little soccer fans living with us."

Leo returns her smile with a kind one of his own, shaking her hand with his free hand, using his other to keep Salem propped on his hip. "Thank you for having us, Miss Jessica. Brynn has told me so much about you."

"All good things, I hope?" She shoots me a teasing look.

"The best," I answer, wrapping her in my arms for a long hug. "Where's my Ivy?"

"In the main room with the others." She nudges me in that direction. "Go ahead. She's been staring at the door, waiting for you, since breakfast."

Just as Miss Jessica said she would be, Ivy is sitting cross-legged on the carpet, staring unblinking at the doorway when I walk through it. Instantly, her little face is overcome by a toothy smile, her knees bouncing as she waits for me to reach her.

The room erupts into a chorus of excited voices, children bounding around me as they each wait their turn for a hug. The chaos only intensifies when Leo steps up behind me, the children releasing a collective gasp that there is an "actual soccer player" standing in their living room. They swarm him, asking a dozen questions at a hundred miles an hour, thrusting crayons and craft paper in his face for autographs.

Through it all, Ivy stays seated, her nervous gaze flitting to the wildlife mural on the wall behind me while she waits.

She doesn't like crowded spaces. For as long as I've known her, she's preferred to spend her time upstairs in her bedroom, hidden away from the loud sounds that come from having ten children packed into the same room. Yet, she braved it today. For me.

"Hey, sweet girl," I say gently, dropping down onto the carpet beside her. "You got any news for me?"

"I learned how to tie my shoelaces dis week," she announces proudly, toying with the cotton hem of her red-printed dress. "Miss Jessica showed me."

"Well, that's awesome."

She nods emphatically, reaching across to twist some of my hair around her fingers. "You look pwetty today."

I boop her on the nose. "You look pretty every day."

Her eyes dart away from me as she smiles softly, shyly. "Who's that?" she asks, peering over my shoulder at Leo, who's doing a stellar job of writing autographs with one hand while holding Salem in the other.

He catches us looking, offers an awkward wave, and somehow manages to extricate himself from the mob surrounding him, placating them with promises to bring back some signed soccer shirts and a few major league balls to kick around in the yard.

"My friend. And that's his daughter, Salem."

"Are you friends that kiss?"

My mouth falls open. "What?"

"Like in the movies." She tuts like I'm an idiot. "I'm six, but I'm not stupid."

"Jesus Christ."

Approaching us, Leo shoots us a lopsided smile—the sort of smile that makes my stomach flip—before flopping down onto the floor in front of us. "Hey, pretty ladies."

Ivy rolls her eyes, not the least bit impressed by his charm. "Who are you, and why do you kiss my Brynn?"

He snorts, fixing me with a look that says,how the fuck do I answer that?I simply shrug and let him figure it out for himself. Seeing him flounder is the highest form of entertainment.

"Well…" He clears his throat. "I'm Leo. And I kiss Brynn because, um...because I like her?" It's phrased as a question, his discomfort clear as the silver flecks in Ivy's eyes.

I can't blame him, though. Ivy can be pretty intimidating when she wants to be.

She pulls a face in response. "If you like me, please don't kiss me."

Leo chokes, and I slap his back to help him through it. Ivy, though, is unperturbed.

"I like your baby," she says, touching Salem's arm with a gentle prod of her index finger. "Can I hold it?"

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