Page 53 of Always Been You
“Thanks, Lynx,” I reply, my voice quieter than I expected.
Then, one by one, they come.
Andrei grips my shoulder, his eyes a little too glassy. “It’s good to have you home, my boy.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. “It’s good to be back.”
Ines, their mother, pulls me into a firm embrace. “I expect to see you at Sunday dinners,” she whispers.
I almost laugh at the way she says it—not a request, but a fact. Way to go, Eddie. But I nod because, really, what else can I do?
When we pull apart, I catch the shimmer of tears in her eyes, and something in me twists. I’ve never seen her this close to breaking, not even when I was younger. And because I don’t know what else to do, I pull her back into my arms.
“I’m fine,” I murmur into her hair.
She exhales, nodding, then straightens, composing herself like nothing happened.
“Happy birthday, mate,” Aria says, clapping me on the back.
Before I can respond, Elisa raises a brow, her gaze flicking between Lawliss and me. “You two an item now?”
I chuckle, saying, “Yeah,” as I pull her into a hug. She used to be so small, so quiet. Now, she’s the loudest in the room, with no filter whatsoever. Funny how time shapes people. I wonder what shaped her.
Before I can dwell on it, a small tug at my trousers makes me glance down.
A little girl stands there, staring up at me with wide, curious eyes. When I meet her gaze, she shies away, pressing into Lawliss, who picks her up, settling her against her hip.
“Hey, sweetie,” I say softly, not wanting to startle her.
She has to be Aria’s daughter. Not just because she looks like her, but something else—something I can’t put my finger on. There’s a familiarity in her face, in the way she tilts her head, studying me like she’s trying to figure me out first before deciding if I’m worth her time.
I glance at Josh, who’s watching us closely, and for a second, I wonder—
Then it clicks.
Not him. Someone else.
The resemblance is there, subtle but undeniable. The thought slips through my fingers before I can hold onto it.
“Who are you?” The girl asks, her tone serious, almost interrogative, pulling me back to the moment.
I smile. “I’m your Aunt Lawliss’s boyfriend.”
She tilts her head further. “Does that mean I get ice cream and cola?”
“Janette!” Aria scolds.
I laugh, easily taking her from Lawliss, who helps transfer her to me. It’s strange seeing Aria as a mother, but it suits her.
“Of course,” I say, meeting Janette’s expectant gaze. “You get everything. Even the moon, if you want it.”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
“Yep.” I grin. Her dimples pop, and her smile is infectious. Just like that, this little girl becomes someone I need to protect.
She wraps her arms around my shoulders, and I carry her to the dining table, where dishes are already being passed around, making it easy for everyone to scoop whatever they want.
“So, I hear you lived with your grandparents,” Andrei asks and I nod.
