Page 34 of Fight for Me
“Sad?”
She nods and wraps her arms around my legs, hugging me with all her might. “Don’t be sad, Uncle Declan. I love you.”
I smile because, who the hell could ever not love this kid? I don’t know how the man who raised her until Connor found them didn’t think she was the most precious thing in the world. Hadley has been the gift that this family never knew to ask for.
“I love you, too.” I pull her up in my arms and then swing her around. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t spin you until you puke!”
She laughs as she flies around in my arms, her joy is infectious.
“All right, no puking before ten, please,” Ellie says, her hand on my shoulder.
“Busted,” I say conspiratorially to Hadley.
I put her to rights and then sit at the table.
“What time will you guys be back?” Ellie asks, setting out a plate of bacon and another of pancakes.
“Later in the afternoon. I need to be victorious,” Connor informs her.
Ellie eyes him curiously. “Why?”
“Because I’m going to school my brother and have a day off.”
I scoff. “Please.”
“I don’t even want to know.”
Ellie sits and we all start to eat.
I can’t remember the last time I had anything this normal. Maybe when my mother was alive? She would make breakfast every Sunday and force us to sit as a family. I hated it as a kid and then as soon as it was gone and we no longer had her, I wished for those days again.
“What are your plans today, Ellie?” I ask.
She bites a piece of bacon and smiles warmly. “I’m going to see Sydney. We have to go dress shopping, drop by the florist, and do a few other things. I wanted to go earlier, but she sent a message that she wasn’t feeling so great and asked if we could push it back. So, you all get breakfast.”
“She seemed fine yesterday,” I say, not able to move past her saying Syd wasn’t well. “Do you want me to call her or go over there?”
Ellie’s brows knit together. “No, I’m sure she’s fine. She didn’t cancel or anything.”
Connor sits in his seat with a grin.
I’m going to kick his ass. “I’m just making sure Ellie doesn’t run the risk of catching whatever Syd has,” I try to excuse my slip up there.
“Sure you were.”
I rub my middle finger along the side of my nose and Connor laughs.
The rest of the meal passes with Hadley urging us to eat faster so we can go fishing. Ellie, who is a goddess and didn’t want us to forget to eat lunch later, hands us a basket filled with drinks and food. After kissing both Hadley and Connor, she calls my name, stopping me from following them.
“Yes?”
“Is everything okay? I know that you being back here is hard, and I just … I worry.”
I smile at my soon-to-be sister-in-law. “I’m good.”
“Really? Sydney mentioned that you and her are going to try to be friends and, well, it’s noble and great, but you guys have history.”
I nod. “We do, but I can’t be in this town and avoid her. I thought this would be a good compromise.”
