Page 29 of Stealing Forever (Bridge Point Bears Baseball #1)

It feels like forever since I’ve been at my own house, surrounded by things that are solely mine.

But the silence is deafening, and even though I’ve only been here a few hours, I’m not enjoying the alone time.

Sailor’s laughter isn’t coming from the next room.

There’s nothing on the TV to keep me company.

I tried to play music on my phone, but even that didn’t breathe life into me like it normally does.

Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I put my diamond stud earrings on. I’m all dolled up and ready to go on a date with my boyfriend . I should be more excited, but I just feel so unsure.

It’s been a week since Addison showed up, and even though Declan put her up in a hotel so she wouldn’t be tempted to be at his house all the time, I haven’t stayed over either. Her coming back has put distance in my heart.

Logic tells me he doesn’t want her. His words and his actions say the same, but just knowing Sailor’s mother is back in the picture so soon after we’ve started our new relationship together has me retreating.

I’m not intentionally withdrawing, but I also don’t want to be the woman standing in the way of them reuniting their family.

With that being said, I can see right through Addison, even though she puts on a sickeningly sweet persona in front of Declan.

Acting like a perfect woman, a perfect mom, and even pretending like she’s a perfect “friend” to me while he’s around.

She smiles at all the right times, laughs in all the right places, but when he’s not present, her glares are menacing, her words are cutting, and the seeds of doubt she’s planting in my mind are growing faster than ivy.

I hate it. I hate it so much because I know in my heart Declan cares about me, and that my bond with Sailor is strong .

But I still can’t help feeling like the other woman—a mistress in their relationship. The engagement ring may be gone, but the ghosts of their past float around haunting Declan’s home, whether he wants them there or not.

Tonight, though, Declan says is all about us .

He’s taking me out again, this time to a ritzy seafood restaurant, then a walk through downtown Bridge Point.

It’s a far more public setting than we’ve gone out in before, and for some reason that feels monumental. Like he wants to be seen with me.

Like I said, his actions are reflecting his words, and while that should be reassuring, there’s still a pit in my stomach.

I want to be with him, and I want things to work out between us so badly, but there’s two people in a relationship, and it’s not just about what I want. And my lack of self-confidence loves to tell me he’ll eventually leave me for her.

Choosing a deep crimson lipstick, I paint it on my lips, pursing them after it’s applied. Pushing open my closet doors, I grab a flowy black dress and pair it with my favorite strappy sandals to make it feel slightly more casual.

The clock on my phone reminds me Declan should be here any minute, so I toss my makeup back in the bag and go wait in my small living room. The tick of the clock echoes through my home, and I lean against my couch.

Scrolling on socials, I input baseball kiss into the search bar, pulling up countless videos of me and Declan. Watching them makes me feel better—it’s easy to see the chemistry between us—it serves as a good reminder to ground myself and stop letting her win.

I’m giving Addison exactly what she wants. She’s inflicted doubt. Uncertainty. She wants to weasel her way back into Declan’s good graces, and presumably into his bed.

Am I really going to let her?

Declan is a man worth fighting for, and she didn’t. She did the opposite and left without a word.

She doesn’t deserve him.

A knock on my door has me jumping, straightening upright. A rush of excitement floods me, and I swipe my clutch purse off the side table, tossing open the door.

Declan stands there, leaning against my doorframe, looking amazing in a light blue button-down shirt that’s rolled to his elbows, and a pair of dark wash denim jeans. His unruly hair is slicked back, and his beard has been trimmed.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he greets, handing me a bouquet of pink peonies and baby's breath.

“These are beautiful. Thank you.” I lean my face down into them and smell their soft fragrance.

“Of course. How are you?”

Moving into my condo, Declan follows me into the kitchen so I can put the flowers in water before we leave. “I’m okay,” I tell him honestly. “Excited to go out tonight.”

“Me too,” he agrees with a grin. “It’s high time I wine and dine you.”

“You spoil me enough as is, but I am pretty excited to check out this restaurant.”

A few minutes later, we’re in his car, driving through the neighborhood. With his hand on my thigh, Declan grips the inside of it as he drives with one hand.

“Are you ready for this weekend?” The Bears have a game tomorrow night against the Rocky Mountain Raptors—finally, their first home game.

“Yeah. I think the guys have it in the bag. The Raptors are good, but we’re better.” He gives me a wicked grin, and I see the playfulness in his eyes.

“I can’t wait to watch,” I tell him earnestly.

Sailor and I will be there tomorrow and to my dismay Addison brought it upon herself to accompany us, squealing when she realized friends and family get to sit in the VIP boxes by the dugouts. Declan isn’t pleased she’s coming, but she flies out the next morning so he’s humoring her.

The rest of the car ride is short and silent.

When we pull up in front of the restaurant it’s packed with people dressed to the nines, flooding out onto the street.

I feel underdressed, but everything I read online said this wasn’t that fancy of a restaurant, so maybe there’s some sort of special event happening.

Finding a place to park is a challenge, but we’re able to find a space a couple blocks over. Declan parallel parks perfectly, and comes around to open my car door, extending his hand so I can take it.

Playfully, he holds our hands in the air and encourages me to do a twirl. It’s lighthearted, and we both laugh.

When we start walking down the street, he immediately switches sides with me, making sure I’m on the inside, and he’s on the outside. It’s a small gesture, but one that means a lot—I know that’s not something a lot of men do anymore.

By the time we’re seated at our table, both our stomachs are rumbling, and everything on the menu looks delicious.

“I’m not gonna lie,” he says, still looking down at his menu. “I was hoping for an empty restaurant and a corner booth so I could push you past your comfort zone a little.”

My eyes snap to him. “And what exactly do you mean by that?”

He flashes a toothy smile, and shrugs, pretending like his words mean nothing, but the underlying meaning of them makes my thighs clench beneath the table, heat rushing both between my legs and up to settle on my cheeks.

When the waiter arrives, I order the lobster mac and cheese, and Declan gets the surf and turf platter. We talk about everything under the sun, making small conversation and having fun. It renews a sense of comfort in me, and I needed that so badly.

My cheeks hurt from laughing, and dinner is delicious, but while we’re waiting for the check to arrive, I notice a group of people a few tables down from us staring and making gestures in our direction.

I feel my face fall.

Declan turns, following my line of sight. “What’s wrong?”

“They’re talking about us.” I’m openly staring at them, letting them know I see them.

From my peripheral, Declan shrugs. “Let them.”

Once the bill is paid and we’re back in the evening air, he takes my hand in his. Bridge Point has a beautiful downtown, with old-fashioned gas lamps that line the street, and benches everywhere. String lights twinkle as we stroll down the sidewalk.

“Do you want to get dessert?” he asks as we pass an old-fashioned looking ice cream shop.

I shake my head. “Maybe on the way back. I’m so full right now.”

“Alright, sweetheart.” He pulls me closer and presses a kiss against my hair before dropping his arm over my shoulder.

Finally, we make it to a small park and he leads us to an empty set of swings. We both take one, and I let my feet drag in the sawdust while the creak of the chains floats through the air.

“I haven’t been on a swing since I was a kid,” Declan muses. “I used to swing as high as I could, and then jump from the top. I’m surprised I never busted my ankles, because that shit was rough landing.” He laughs at the memory, and I just know a wave of nostalgia has hit him.

Nostalgia.

Does he feel nostalgic having Addison around this week, too?

I can’t imagine he hasn’t thought about when they were together, and a happier time for their family, when Sailor was a baby.

As my mind wanders back to the thoughts I’ve tried so hard to push away, I find myself retreating again.

This time Declan notices, too. “Where’d that pretty mind of yours just take you, sweetheart?”

Giving him a small smile, I shrug. “My intrusive thoughts are working against me.”

“What are they saying?” he asks gently.

“That you and Addison deserve a chance to make things right again, for Sailor’s sake. She’s the mother of your daughter, and I can never compete with that. Maybe she really does still love you.”

“The only thing you just said that’s true is that she’s the mother of my child,” he stresses.

Hopping off his swing, he comes to stand in front of me, pulling my hands from the chains, holding them in his.

“She’s trying to become an actress, and that’s exactly what she’s doing.

Acting. She’s trying to manipulate us. I promise you she doesn’t care about me, she just cares about furthering her own career, we both know she saw that video of us and thought to herself ‘hmm, maybe I can spin the narrative’.

There’s not a genuine bone in that woman’s body, I can promise you that, sweetheart.

” Bringing my hand to his lips, he kisses the back of it.

“I don’t want you getting cold feet about us, because I can’t express enough how much you mean to me. ”

“I just feel like maybe you need to give it a chance, Declan. Maybe this time she’s being honest.” I hate every word as it leaves my lips but what else am I supposed to say? I’m torn between desperately wanting him, and wanting to also believe the best in people.

“I won’t.” His voice is firm, unwavering, and his gaze heated. “Even if you and I weren’t together, I would never give that woman a second chance.”

“I just want you to make sure you’re making the best choice for you, and for Sailor.” My heart splits in two, and I know this is from my own doing. “Your family deserves that.”

“I know I am, and I’m going to prove it to you, sweetheart.”

“Declan—”

“Consider this the first night of me showing you how badly I want this until there’s not a single doubt or hesitancy in your mind.”

He pulls me off the swing and I stumble into his body. Holding me tightly, he tips my head back and kisses me.

We kiss like teenagers under the moonlight until we’re both breathless.

Sliding his hand down to mine, he nods to the street. “Now c’mon. I want to buy my girl some ice cream.”