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Shaking my head and holding Declan close, I began backing away slowly.
“Mama,” he cooed happily as Tori marched toward us, but I was getting ready to take flight.
“No, I mean, I was just saying, for the future,” I stuttered.
Victoria narrowed her eyes and asked, “Are you keeping something from us?”
“No,” I practically shouted, then decided to get her to back off by giving her what she wanted. “You know what, go ahead … the living room is all yours. Decorate away. Just let me know what the damage is when you’re done.”
“Yay!” she replied, her face brightening with excitement.
“Now, me and the little man are going to watch some football in the other room. Don’t go too crazy.”
“I won’t,” she said, moving to set the chandelier back down.
Before we could disappear into the sanctuary of my room, Victoria stopped me in my tracks when she called after me in a singsong voice, “Don’t think I’m distracted by you giving me what I want, Brady. I’m going to find out what secret you’re keeping.”
Rather than give myself away by responding, I shook my head in response and kept on my path to safety.
“Your mom scares me a little,” I told Dec as I shut my bedroom door behind us.
“Ball,” was his response.
I let Declan down so he could walk over to the basket in the corner that I kept stocked with balls of all sizes, just for him. Once he had a small basketball and a foam football in each hand, he waddled toward where I was sitting on the bed waiting for him.
“Ready to play catch?” I asked, smiling as he nodded enthusiastically.
As I played with my nephew I wondered, after the way we’d left things the last time I’d been at Ming’s, if I still had a secret to keep. I knew I’d fucked up not agreeing to go to the New Year’s party with her. I wasn’t sure I was ready to tell everyone about us and start an actual relationship, but at the same time, I wasn’t ready to give her up.
Chapter Eight ~ Ming
“Why did I say I’d do this?” I muttered to myself as I fiddled with my up-do.
It was New Year’s Eve and I was running fashionably late to Brock and Victoria’s party. The truth was, I’d talked myself out of going about six times, but knew that Bronagh and Cass would have my ass if I didn’t show, especially after I promised I would.
I didn’t want to see Brady. Not after the humiliation I felt after asking him to attend this party with me, and his immediate rejection.
I just wanted to hide under my blanket, which was what I’d been doing every other night this week.
I’d thrown myself into work, trying to block out the pain. I’d blown off my friends and family, not wanting them to take one look at me and know something was wrong. I was grieving, there was no other word for it. Grieving over the end of my non-relationship with Brady.
I was such
an idiot.
The door opened and I plastered on the fake smile that I intended to hold for the next two hours. I figured that was sufficient “face time,” and then I could retreat back to my bed for another lonely night.
“Ming-a-ling, you made it,” Brock said with a huge grin as he enveloped me in a bear hug. He’d obviously been enjoying his fair share of whiskey. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thanks, Brock,” I said with the first genuine smile I’d had in days. “So do you.”
“What this old thing?” he said with a chuckle, stepping back to show the light-green button up that matched his eyes perfectly. “Victoria made me wear it.”
“Well, she did good,” I replied with a laugh.
“Ming, you’re here. Thank God!”
I turned to see Bronagh moving slowly toward me, her hands cupping her large belly. She looked beautiful in a black maternity dress, her hair a mass of red curls falling around her glowing face.
