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He’s jealous.
“Daddy!” Blakely sees me, but she doesn’t come running like she normally would. Instead, she remains on Kennedy’s lap motioning for me to come to them. I hand Rushton the bags in my hands and move to sit next to them. I hold my arms out for Blakely, but she just leans over to hug me and stays in her spot with Kennedy.
“Love you, squirt,” I tell her.
“Love you too, Daddy,” she replies, her eyes still dancing with laughter as she watches her uncles make silly dance moves. Those two are always the life of the party.
I lean in and press my lips to Kennedy’s. “Hey, baby.”
“Declan,” she softly scolds me.
“What? Can I not kiss you hello?” I won’t force her, but I also won’t stop just because she thinks we shouldn’t be kissing in front of them. I kiss her in front of my daughter all the time. I won’t hide how I feel about her from my family.
“They’re all watching us,” she says softly.
“Good. Let them see what you mean to me.” Her eyes widen, and I know I owe Dad a drink for the advice. Does she really not know what she means to me? Have I not told her that she’s revived my heart?
After losing Cassie, I felt guilty. So much guilt over letting her leave upset that night. Even if she hadn’t been upset, it wouldn’t have changed the outcome, though. Boyd was drinking and driving. That was his choice to make. He took both of their lives. I still closed my heart. No new members were allowed. My family, and my daughter, others need not apply.
Until Kennedy. The woman who leaped the walls I had erected and scaled them with absolute efficiency.
Love harder.
Show her your heart.
Give her your heart.
My dad has yet to give any of us a bad piece of advice. I’m going all in. “I missed you.” Hell, I’ve been all in. I guess I just never told her. It’s time to change that.
“It’s been a couple of hours.” I can hear it in her tone of voice. She thinks I’m just feeding her a line. If she knew how many times a day I thought about her, she’d know I’m telling her the truth.
“Don’t do that. Don’t disregard how I feel. He didn’t appreciate what he had, but I promise you I won’t make that same mistake.” I put my arm around her, and she leans into me. This is where she belongs. In my arms. I watch as she runs her fingers through Blakely's now expertly curled hair. This feels right. Just like every other moment with her, when she’s with us, everything clicks into place. It’s as if Blakely and I have been waiting on her to come into our lives.
“Blakely!” Brooks calls out. “I have something for you in the kitchen.”
My daughter gasps, jumps off Kennedy’s lap, and rushes to the kitchen. I should be offended that it took ice cream to get her to leave Kennedy, but I’m not. I love how close they are. We need her in our lives, and I know that receiving love from Blakely lets her see that. At least, I hope that it does.
The twins plop down next to me on the couch, and there is only room for one of them. I lift Kennedy onto my lap, and Merrick grins, moving to my other side.
“Thanks for holding her for me, Dec,” Merrick says. He reaches for Kennedy, but I smack his hand away.
“Hands off.” It’s a playful smack, but he knows I mean business.
“So testy,” Merrick replies.
“Where are Archer and Ryder?” I ask Maverick. I’m ignoring his twin for trying to take my girl.
“Ryder met a girl at Sage,” he tells me.
“What’s Sage?” Kennedy asks.
“It’s a nightclub in Harris. It’s twenty-one and over, which is why we’re here,” Merrick explains.
“You know we’re good company,” Ramsey tells him.
“Damn right we are,” Deacon agrees with her. She’s sitting on his lap, and I’m pretty sure she could tell him the sky had bright green polka dots, and he’d agree with her. He loves her unconditionally.
“Is he dating her?” Sterling asks.
“He wants to be,” Maverick tells us.
“I think they were going to meet up with her and her friend tonight.”
“Damn,” Rushton says. “We’re dropping like flies.”
“Nah, just three of us,” Merrick reminds him. “There are still six Kincaid brothers who are single and ready to mingle.”
“Five. Might as well count Ryder out. We all know that none of us put in the effort unless it means something,” Rushton tells him.
“This means something,” I whisper in Kennedy’s ear. She turns to look at me over her shoulder, and I tuck her hair behind her ear, holding her stare. I will her to believe me. I don’t know how I’m going to convince her to stay. My only plan is to do what Dad said and show her what she means to me. That starts tonight and each day moving forward that I have with her.
