Page 73 of A Game Plan for Love

My heart thuds in my chest, his words growing roots like an old sycamore in my chest. He’s quiet again, lost in thought, and dreams begin to form on the tree like sweet fruit.

A dream of the life Declan described.

“What are you and Nora doing today?” he asks, ending the moment.

“Nothing planned. Why?”

“Would you like to go to the aquarium with me? I’ve always wanted to go, but never had a reason.”

His expression is so open and honest, and for a split second, I can see the boy who wished on a shooting star for a family.

“We’d love that.”

His smile shines like the first rays of dawn. “Well, let's go save Henry and Sawyer. He texted me an hour ago and said she’s making a strong case for Pizza Rolls for breakfast.”

My smile falls. “Get ready quickly. They’re not going to win that battle.”

“Where are we going?” Nora asks for the fourth time in five minutes.

“Home, if you keep asking that question,” Declan responds, exasperated. He gives me a look while he drives, and then rests his hand on my thigh. My muscles jerk, and the corner of his lip tilts up.

“Are you kidnapping me?”

I whip my head around and Declan smothers a laugh. “What? No. Why would you think that?”

“You won’t tell me where you’re taking me.”

“Because it’s supposed to be a surprise,” I say gently, though I can feel my eye twitching from the suppressed annoyance.

I love my daughter to death, but right now she’s incredibly annoying.

Nora’s face scrunches, but she relents and picks up her sticker book, flipping through the pages like a woman beneath a dryer chair at a hair salon. Her wrist flicks with subtle annoyance, and I spin back around and silently scream into my palms.

Declan peels my hands away from my face and places a gentle kiss on the back of my hand. “Open the center console,” he says, pulling into the parking structure for the aquarium. I lift the dark leather, and a Kit Kat sits on top of issues and hard candy. “Take a breath.”

I force a large gulp of air into my lungs and then slowly pull the candy bar out, using the console as a barrier so Nora can’t see the candy. Declan turns up the music as the wrapper rustles, and gives a quick wink when Nora starts to sing toHow Far I’ll GofromMoana.

The Kit Kat is inhaled in two quick bites, and the frayed edges of my patience begin to weave back together.

Declan parks the car and hops out to help Nora out of her booster seat—the seat he had installed in his car in case he ever needed to drive Nora anywhere.

I never asked him to install one, but I won’t lie and say my heart didn’t do a small pitter-patter when we slipped into his car this morning.

“Where are we?” Nora asks, twirling the skirt of her bright blue dress.

Her hair is pulled back into two ponytails, and blue ribbons are tied around each with a perfect bow. She’s as cute as a button, and peers up at Declan with big, blue eyes like he hung the moon.

“The aquarium!”

She cheers, jumping up and down. “Let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s go!” Nora takes his hand and drags him toward the door. “C’mon, Mommy!”

She pauses at the passenger side door, but Declan steals her attention. “Mommy is going to meet us inside. We have to get tickets first.” My brows furrow, and Declan leans down to whisper in my ear. “Take five minutes for yourself. Decompress. Scream. Eat another Kit Kat. We’ll be in the lobby when you’re ready.”

He places the car keys into my palm and wraps my limp fingers around them and then guides Nora toward the entrance, holding her hand and listening as she chatters about sharks.

I slump back into the passenger seat, slightly dazed.

When’s the last time I’ve had a moment to myself where I didn’t have to do anything but exist?

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