AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m a big girl, and I am going to make my own choices, so will you shut up,” I whisper-yelled as Liam strode up to me, Finn in one hand and a giant bouquet of colorful flowers in his other.
He held them out to me. “You’re really something special, angel.”
I took the flowers from him and pressed up onto my toes to throw my arms around him. “Thank you.”
He bent, circling me with his arms and lifting me up off the floor. I laughed, unable to contain the giddy fever racing over my skin. “I’m proud of you,” he said from where he’d tucked his face against my throat. “So goddamned proud.”
He’d told me he was proud of me before, and each time he did, it was another crack in the wall of self-doubt I’d built up over the last decade. I’d spent so long being afraid of what might happen if I found something I was good at, if I found something I loved, because I could lose it at a moment’s notice. I never wanted to find a purpose and, instead, took the easy way out. Every single time.
But now, with Liam and Finn, I think I knew—deep down—my purpose was to be with them. To love them.
And hearing Liam’s confident words of praise, I realized that I was hiding once again. I had to tell Liam how I felt. I had to let him know this was more than just a job for me. Liam and Finn—they were everything.
“You were brilliant.” Liam kissed my cheek, lowering my feet to the floor, only for Finn to hop up and down, grunting because he wanted up too. “You want to give Kennedy a hug?”
At his son’s nod, Liam hoisted him up, but instead of letting go of his dad, Finn kept one arm around Liam’s neck and reached the other out to me, hugging us both at the same time.
And my heart went careening out of my chest, straight to these two boys, who in a few months had become my whole world.
“Uv you,” Finn squeaked out against my cheek, and I swiped at a tear in the corner of my eye.
“I love you too, babes.” I kissed his forehead then gently pushed him into Liam’s arms.
“Oh my gosh! Is this your family? Your son is so cute!”
I spun to find Cathy, the director, behind me, smiling at Liam and Finn. She waved at Finn, who was busy gazing excitedly around at the crowd, while Liam attempted to control his feet so he didn’t get kicked in the ribs, even as he stared at me.
My attention drifted from Finn, who wasnotmy son, to Liam, who seemed to be delighting in my need to traverse these waters, then to Dean, who hid his grin with a fist, to my sister, who smirked in arrogance.
Honestly. I couldn’t stand her.
I cleared my throat and avoided answering the question of who was my family by looping my arm around Cathy’s shoulders. “Finn’s not my son, but he is cute, isn’t he? Guys, this is Cathy, my phenomenal director.”
She waved her hand. “You’re the phenomenal one,” she said then looked to Taylor, Dean, and Liam. “Isn’t she?”
They all agreed.
“Well, I’ll let you get back to chatting.” She waved at us. “See you tomorrow, Kennedy.”
“See you.” I smiled then counted to three in my head, knowing what was coming.
“Well, isn’t this precious,” my sister cooed. “Your little family here.”
“You are the absolute worst,” I told her as I picked up my bag and sweatshirt from the floor.
“So, you don’t want that drink, then?” Taylor teased, and I threw her an annoyed glare.
Liam pinged his focus between the two of us. “You want to go out, Kennedy?”
I shook my head, zipping my sweatshirt.
“You should. Go out and celebrate,” he said, and Taylor not so subtly elbowed me.
I elbowed her right back. “No. I don’t want to.”
“Are you sure?” He pointed at Finn. “I’ve got to put him down, but it’s not like you need to?—”
I held up my hand, stopping him there. “I don’t want to go out. I want to go home.”
