Page 79 of Come Back for Me
Chapter Twenty-Six
Connor
“What do you mean you have a kid?” Declan asks after I get done informing him of what’s happened the last week.
I’ve been avoiding his calls, saying I have no service and texting him updates instead. I don’t need a lecture or a reminder of what my brothers and I vowed to each other. None of that matters anymore. We’re adults, and if any of them don’t understand, they can fuck right the hell off.
“I have a daughter.”
Silence fills the other end of the phone. “You’ve been there for what, almost four months? How the fuck did you father a kid in that little of time?”
I sigh and launch into the explanation of Ellie and Hadley. I’ve held that night close to the chest. There was no reason to tell anyone because it was just mine. Telling Declan everything now makes me feel like a tool. He’s always been more of a father than anything and has the most guilt and disappointment over the things we’ve endured and done.
“Jesus Christ, Connor.”
I picture my brother in his fancy high-rise office, flopping down in his chair with his hand over his face.
“Look, I know you’re probably pissed at me, but I’m happy. I love this little girl, and I’m falling hard for Ellie. I can’t explain it, but it’s like she’s this perfect other half of me. I’m not asking your permission or asking for anything else other than your understanding.”
Declan releases a low, long sigh. “I get it more than anyone, brother. I’ve had that kind of love before.”
“Speaking of Syd, she’s Ellie’s best friend.”
“You’ve seen her?” There’s an animation in his voice that wasn’t there a moment ago. He can pretend with anyone else, but he can’t with me. He loves her. He always has, and she’s the reason my brother will never find happiness.
“She was here the other night.”
“Fuck. I can’t see her.”
“You’re not going to have a choice when you’re back in Sugarloaf for your six-month sentence,” I remind him.
My brother may be some big shot in New York City, but Sydney will bring him to his knees.
“And what are you planning to do with your new family? Are you moving? Going to get a job? Do something else?”
This is the main reason for my call. He’s going to lose his shit, but my other brothers will be worse. If I have any hope of selling this idea to them, I’ll need Declan on my side.
“I’d like to buy a parcel of the land.”
“I’m sorry,what?” He nearly chokes on the words.
“Hadley has only ever known Sugarloaf as her home, and we have enough acreage to buy a part of it. There is no mortgage, so I’d like to buy some of it.”
“Are you fucking insane? You want to stay in fucking Sugarloaf? Do you remember the reasons we left, Connor? Of all the damn things I thought I would listen to, this has to be the most asinine thing ever!”
Now it’s my turn to yell. “Yes, I’m fucking insane because I want to be a father to my kid! I want to give her what we didn’t have—stability. You may run from the things you love, Declan, but I don’t. I found the woman I literally dreamed of for eight years, and I’m not letting her go. If she wants me to live here and be buried on this land, I will.”
He huffs and doesn’t say anything. We’re both pissed off, and our tempers are known to get the better of us. We also love a good verbal sparring with each other, so I doubt whatever words get slung will have any lasting effect.
“And what are you going to do for work? How do you plan to buy this land?”
“I’m not an idiot. I can find a job.”
Not that I’ve gotten to that point yet because I’ve been busy serving out my sentence, but I’ll figure it out. I got my degree while I was in the navy, and while dairy farming isn’t really what I want to do, I could probably do fine with a smaller herd.
Maybe.
“You’re not thinking.”
