Page 61 of A Game Plan for Love

My heart beats in an inconsistent rhythm as I process Maren’s words.

He did this forher.

CHAPTER 17

Favorites – Fountaines D.C

Declan

Addie: I just picked Nora up from Maren’s house…

Me: How is she doing?

Addie: She has one less tooth than when I left, but seems to have acquired new craft supplies, books, clothes, and several stuffed animals.

Me: Oh? Christmas in August?

Addie: Maren told me you left her your credit card.

Mystomachchurnswithuncertainty. The period ending the text screams ‘upset’. A text bubble pops up and disappears three times. Yeah, she’s pissed. No happy person types, then deletes a message that many times.

I leave my phone on the kitchen counter and channel the anxiety into something productive and slowly drag the boxes Maren dropped off into the house.

The house I bought in Deon’s neighborhood has remained barren since I closed on the place in March. Besides the navy sectional in the living room, the bar stools tucked under the lip of the island, and the furniture in my bedroom, it’s empty.

The remaining rooms of the house—two guest rooms, an office, a sunroom, and a fully finished basement—need to be furnished, but I haven’t found the energy to do so.

Until I met Addie and Nora.

This isn’t somewhere I want them to visit. It’s lifeless and sterile, so far from the warm, welcoming energy of Addie’s apartment.

I’m carrying the last of the heavy boxes into the guest room when my phone rings. I drop the box and dive for my phone. Addie’s name appears on the top, and I frantically tap the screen to answer before it goes to voicemail.

“Hello?”

“Why are you in the dark?” A bright, confused voice asks, and affection flares in my solar plexus at the sound of Nora’s voice. “Mommy, I think your phone is broken.”

Addie’s laugh adds to the warmth in my chest, and it spreads out until I’m wrapped in a thick blanket of comfort.

“Declan, it's FaceTime.”

“Oh.” I pull the phone from my ear, and I’m greeted with the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen from Addie. Mirth swims in her hazel eyes, and the left side of her mouth pulls slightly higher than the right.

The video feed jostles, and I lose sight of Addie, but there’s a commotion, followed by a screech and the slamming of the door. A head of dark curls pops onto the screen and Nora offers me a toothy smile, only the front left tooth is missing.

“Nora!” Addie yells, followed by an aggressive bang. Nora pales slightly, but ignores her. “Open the door!”

Nora yells back. “I want to talk to Decy alone!”

There’s a loud grumble followed by a defeated, “Three minutes. Then you open the door.”

Nora’s smile is victorious, if not also a bit mischievous. Her voice lowers to a whisper. “Can you keep a secret?”

“Yes,” I whisper back.

“Mommy likes you.”

“Nora!” Addie cuts in.

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