Page 13

Kiss Me – Sixpence None The Richer

Addie

“D id you want anything to drink?” Sawyer asks as we settle into the large chairs on the other side of the patio, as far from the guys as possible. “We have seltzers, lemonade, soda…”

She lifts a cooler and I take a lemonade, mostly to occupy my hands so I don’t nervously pick at my nails.

“Nathalie mentioned inviting you,” Sawyer says with a soft, welcoming smile. “We’re glad you came.”

Maren narrows her eyes as she sits, and a shiver travels down my spine. “Where did you go to school?” she asks.

“University of Nebraska. I’m from Omaha.”

Her eyes flicker from my face, to my legs, over my arms, then back to my face. Her eyes light up. “Big Ten player of the year. Two years in a row.”

I blanche. My volleyball career is not one I talk about.

“What?” Sawyer looks between us. “Who was player of the year?”

“Addie,” Maren says. “One of the best setters in the country.”

Sawyer offers a look of surprise, and my stomach churns. It’s been a long time since someone else has brought up my volleyball career, and discomfort lodges beneath my diaphragm.

“That was a long time ago.”

I want this conversation to end. Not because I’m not proud of my accomplishments, but because volleyball is the very reason I no longer speak to my parents, and Nora doesn’t know her grandparents.

The sport was once my reason for living, and then it destroyed every relationship in my life.

Maren misses the cue to change the topic. “You were a shoo-in for the Olympics.”

“You went to the Olympics?!” Sawyer beams. “That’s incredible.”

“I didn’t go,” I mumble, curling my legs beneath me and picking at the lemonade label.

“Why not?” Sawyer asks.

There’s a heavy pause in the air, and Maren’s eyes flicker around, then to Nora. Understanding dawns on her face, and the guilt is obvious.

“I didn’t mean—”

I cut Maren off. “It’s okay. You didn’t know.”

“I’m sorry, but can someone fill me in? I’m confused.” Maren looks to me to answer Sawyer’s question, and I sigh.

“I didn’t go because I got pregnant right before Olympic tryouts. Nora was born on the day the games started.”

I’ll never forget the never-ending well of loneliness I felt right after I gave birth to Nora. She was light, and joy, and the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on, but at the same time, I was so alone.

No parents. No friends. I watched as my teammates walked into the opening ceremony with my newborn daughter in my arms.

Sawyer and Maren don’t say anything, and I don’t blame them.

To their credit, they both look uncomfortable as hell, and it likely wasn’t their intention to stumble into that piece of my history.

Bright, infectious laughter fills the tense silence as Deon, Nathalie, and Nora exit the house. My daughter runs toward Declan, who holds his arms wide, and when she’s close enough, he lifts her into the air.

Her giggles are loud as he spins her around.

When he sets her down, he points at the table with food and says something to her. She nods, and Declan helps her make a plate of food. I rise from my seat to take over when Nathalie blocks my path.

“Let him do it,” she says quietly, “Let him feel needed.”

I pause at her words, but keep my gaze locked on my daughter, who smiles when Declan loads her plate up with vegetables.

She’s not going to eat them.

Declan helps her to the table, cuts her hot dog into small pieces, and puts a lemonade in front of her. I’m shocked when her first bite of food is a piece of broccoli, and I nearly keel over when she tries a small piece of bell pepper.

When I tried to offer her those, she called them hard worms.

“How is he doing that?” I whisper to myself.

Loudly enough that the rest of the girls laugh and pull me from my trance.

Declan doting over Nora is hot as fuck, and my brain and body are having a difficult time handling it.

“They’re so adorable,” Nathalie coos.

I take her advice and sit back down. His smile is radiant as he eats with Nora, and witnessing their moment makes me crave futures I have no business putting hope into.

“She has him wrapped around her finger,” Maren says with a laugh.

“I’m surprised how good he is with her,” I admit.

Not once has he cut her off when she rattles on. He offers her his full attention when she speaks, and he shows interest in what brings her joy.

“I’m not,” Sawyer says, “The kids at GameChangers love him, but he’s always understood kids well. I think part of it has to do with his child—”

“Sawyer,” Nathalie cuts her off. The tone of her voice tells me Sawyer was straying into another uncomfortable topic, but now I want to know.

Why is he so great with children?

“I’m sorry.” Sawyer pales. “It’s not my place to talk about Declan. Those details belong to him to share.”

I nod. I’m mildly disappointed they won’t share gossip about him, but I also deeply respect them for guarding his privacy.

He has wonderful friends.

Only after the conversation fades away do I realize they protected my privacy in the same way.

Jack appears behind Maren and hovers a Diet Coke in front of her. She leans back, offering him a loving smile, and he kisses her on the forehead.

“I love when you do as you're told,” she says with a smirk.

“I’d do pretty much anything for you,” he responds, and my heart bursts, “especially when you offer to do that thing with your tongue later.”

Sawyer chokes on her drink, and Jack laughs as he walks by, patting her on the shoulder. Her face is bright red, and Henry looks over at her, brows crinkled.

I’m slightly uncomfortable sitting here with all of Declan’s friends. They’re all so close, and the love they have for each other is obvious. I’m just an outsider looking in.

Nora runs over, and a sliver of the loneliness dissipates when she crawls into my lap. I may not have a group of friends or an extended family, but I have Nora. And she has me.

“Decy is being mean,” she says, her lips turning down into a small frown.

My heart plummets into my stomach. I glance over to Declan, who winks when he spots me looking at him.

“How is he being mean?”

I hold my breath, terrified of her response. Ten different scenarios run through my mind, each one worse than the last. My stomach churns with concern.

“He won’t let me have any more cookies!” she wails, irate that he’s cut her off from cookie consumption.

The air whooshes from my lungs. He wasn’t being mean; he was being responsible. My heartbeat calms from the momentary fear.

“He cut me off, too, kid,” Henry grumbles before sitting beside Sawyer, who shakes her head.

I look at Declan again, but the seat he was occupying is empty. A deep voice purrs above my head, sending tingles along my spine. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Nora,” he says, acknowledging her feelings.

God, I want to kiss him.

He doesn’t seem upset with her when he sits down beside me, and his hand falls onto my knee. The weight and warmth from his palm sink into my skin. Nora’s head is buried into the crook of my neck as she refuses to look at Declan.

“What happened?” I whisper.

He runs his fingers through his hair. “She had two cookies, and I told her no more unless she asks you.”

Her behavior toward him is unfair, and embarrassment turns my cheeks red.

“Don’t you dare apologize,” he says quietly. He squeezes my thigh. “I didn’t get to tell you how beautiful you look tonight.”

My cheeks are red for a whole different reason now.

It’s only a matter of minutes before Nora is asleep in my arms, and now it’s time to go.

The last thing I want to do is leave, especially since I’ve spent zero time with Declan, but she needs to get to bed.

“I should go,” I whisper, jerking my chin toward Nora.

Declan nods and then slips his hands beneath her legs and pulls her against his chest. The move is fluid, and she doesn’t even rustle as he walks toward the door.

I follow closely behind, and he slides her into her car seat and buckles her in. Her eyes crack open.

“I don’t think you’re mean, Decy,” she murmurs.

He presses a kiss on the top of her head. “I know. Be good, okay?”

She nods, then closes her eyes. Declan shuts the door and spins.

The air shifts as he closes the distance between us, and his hand reaches out to cup my jaw.

Oh my god, is it happening? Is he going to kiss me?

My body hums with anticipation, and I lean into his touch. I’m one second away from releasing a desperate sound. His head dips, and his lips hover over mine.

“Addie.” My name on his lips borders on sinful. “Can I kiss you?”

“Fuck yes,” I groan, pressing onto my toes.

My eyes flutter shut, anticipation coursing through my veins. His lips press against mine in a chaste kiss. I grumble against him, and he huffs a laugh.

“Young eyes are watching,” he says against my lips before pulling away.

He steps to the side, and Nora’s jaw hangs as she witnesses the annoyingly mild kiss. I wanted passion . Declan laughs at the frown on my face.

“How about a second date?” he asks, “Just the two of us.”

“Is that a promise?”

“It can be.”

“All right.”

“Then it’s a promise.” I slip into the driver's seat, my smile hurting my cheeks, when Declan taps his knuckle against the glass. I lower the window. “And remember, my sweet Adeline, I keep my promises.”