Page 47 of A Game Plan for Love

“I didn’t go because I got pregnant right before Olympic tryouts. Nora was born on the day the games started.”

I’ll never forget the never-ending well of loneliness I felt right after I gave birth to Nora. She was light, and joy, and the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on, but at the same time, I was so alone.

No parents. No friends. I watched as my teammates walked into the opening ceremony with my newborn daughter in my arms.

Sawyer and Maren don’t say anything, and I don’t blame them.

To their credit, they both look uncomfortable as hell, and it likely wasn’t their intention to stumble into that piece of my history.

Bright, infectious laughter fills the tense silence as Deon, Nathalie, and Nora exit the house. My daughter runs toward Declan, who holds his arms wide, and when she’s close enough, he lifts her into the air.

Her giggles are loud as he spins her around.

When he sets her down, he points at the table with food and says something to her. She nods, and Declan helps her make a plate of food. I rise from my seat to take over when Nathalie blocks my path.

“Let him do it,” she says quietly, “Let him feel needed.”

I pause at her words, but keep my gaze locked on my daughter, who smiles when Declan loads her plate up with vegetables.

She’s not going to eat them.

Declan helps her to the table, cuts her hot dog into small pieces, and puts a lemonade in front of her. I’m shocked when her first bite of food is a piece of broccoli, and I nearly keel over when she tries a small piece of bell pepper.

When I tried to offer her those, she called them hard worms.

“How is he doing that?” I whisper to myself.

Loudly enough that the rest of the girls laugh and pull me from my trance.

Declan doting over Nora is hot as fuck, and my brain and body are having a difficult time handling it.

“They’re so adorable,” Nathalie coos.

I take her advice and sit back down. His smile is radiant as he eats with Nora, and witnessing their moment makes me crave futures I have no business putting hope into.

“She has him wrapped around her finger,” Maren says with a laugh.

“I’m surprised how good he is with her,” I admit.

Not once has he cut her off when she rattles on. He offers her his full attention when she speaks, and he shows interest in what brings her joy.

“I’m not,” Sawyer says, “The kids at GameChangers love him, but he’s always understood kids well. I think part of it has to do with his child—”

“Sawyer,” Nathalie cuts her off. The tone of her voice tells me Sawyer was straying into another uncomfortable topic, but now I want to know.

Why is he so great with children?

“I’m sorry.” Sawyer pales. “It’s not my place to talk about Declan. Those details belong to him to share.”

I nod. I’m mildly disappointed they won’t share gossip about him, but I also deeply respect them for guarding his privacy.

He has wonderful friends.

Only after the conversation fades away do I realize they protected my privacy in the same way.

Jack appears behind Maren and hovers a Diet Coke in front of her. She leans back, offering him a loving smile, and he kisses her on the forehead.

“I love when you do as you're told,” she says with a smirk.

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