AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I took a second and stared down at Lucy as I tucked the blanket under her chin. Something in my heart swelled, and there was no questioning it. I loved her and caught myself on more than one occasion wishing she was mine. She was a part of Hadley, and I was their Elijah. I wanted to be their family. And that was all that mattered. It still bewildered me how anyone could take them for granted. Turning away, I was almost out of the room when I heard her small voice whisper, “Goodnight, Elijah.”
I swallowed down the emotions that clogged my throat. “Goodnight, Lucy.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, thief. I’m glad you dropped your chips that day. I got to know you guys because of that.”
“You’re the thief.” Her drowsy voiced muffled her giggle. A second later, she was asleep again.
As I stepped out of the room, I left the door opened so that the bathroom light from across the hall could filter in for her. Tomorrow, I’d buy her a nightlight.
I stopped outside the room and placed my hand over my chest. It didn’t matter that Lucy’s words were probably part of her routine with Hadley. What mattered was that I could provide for someone else’s kids, and it was something I wanted to do. I was fucking glad I got this chance to love them.
Minutes later, I stared down at Hadley— so small and fragile in my eyes. She laid curled up on the couch. I rubbed my chest again feeling like a poor sap who couldn’t keep his emotions in check.
So gone. I was so fucking gone.
I scooped her up and carried her to bed. She woke up, asking weird stuff about her kids before she fell asleep next to Eli.
I never went to sleep early. Actually, I didn’t sleep much—a few hours every night had always been enough for me. That was why I went into the basement and messed around with some graphic designs on the computer, keeping the music on low so that I didn’t wake them up.
I didn’t know how long I was down there, but it was long enough for me to switch to drawing when Hadley’s clumsy steps came down the stairs. Eli was in her arms and a bottle rested in one hand. Her hair was wild, eyes half-closed, I swear she was the best—my most favorite thing to look at in any given moment. She stopped in front of me and plopped Eli onto my lap. I gawked at her when she shoved the bottle into my hand. “Since you both want to stay up so late, have at it.”
Without another word, she turned around and trotted up the stairs. Eli regarded me like he was just as confused as I was. We had a staring contest until I decided to get comfortable holding him. Several awkward minutes passed with me trying to get situated. He looked at me the same way I did him—like we were trying to figure each other out. “There,” I told him hesitantly. “We’re kind of comfortable.” I offered him the bottle, and he took it slowly, his eyes fixed on me. “You can stop creeping. We’re managing,” I said to Hadley who I knew never went all the way up from the sound of her steps. “You can lie on my other side…”
She made her way back down. “Were you drawing?” she whispered softly as she lifted my arm up and snuggled against me. I didn’t think she’d actually want to join me on the floor, but I was glad she did.
“Yeah, I normally don’t go to sleep until about two every night.”
“Yet, you constantly tell me to get some sleep,” she mumbled.
“That’s different. You’re different. I don’t like seeing you tired.”
“Will you come to bed with me, please?” Her beautiful blue eyes fluttered up at me.
I kissed her brow. “All you had to do was ask.”
