Page 90 of A Game Plan for Love

Me: You don’t need to approve your plans with me. You’re an adult.

Declan: Let me rephrase.

I’d like to take you and Nora somewhere.

Me: No.

Declan: I didn’t even tell you where I wanted to go.

Me: Doesn’t matter. We can’t afford it, and I’m not letting you jet us away for a weekend.

Declan: Spending the weekend with you and Nora is worth every penny.

Me: Why do I have the feeling you’re not going to budge on this?

Declan: You know me so well.

Me: One condition.

Declan: Anything.

Me: You let me help pay.

Declan: Of course! You can buy a water at the airport.

I groan, but giddy excitement bubbles in my chest. For a moment, I thought I had contracted the stomach bug when I told Declan he couldn’t have any hesitations in the choice he wants to make—turns out, it was fear. He’s moving at supersonic speed, and I’m right beside him, but someone needs to hit the brakes enough to return to reality.

The past few months with him and Nora have been the real-life version of a dream I tucked away after I gave birth. It was easier to put it away than let its absence pick away at my heart.

But we both need to be sure about the choice, and we need to include Nora in the discussion.

“Nora,” I call out, and small feet patter down the hallway.

A head of curly hair pokes over the back of the couch. “What?”

My heart skips a beat when she smiles. They really do look like each other.

“Come sit.” I pat the couch beside me. Her eyes narrow, but she settles into the old cushions. “I want to talk to you.”

Nerves flutter in my stomach like a swarm of bees.

“Is this about the chocolate I ate earlier?” she asks, eyes flickering around. “You didn’t say I couldn’t have it.”

“What?” My brain short-circuits for a moment. “You didn’t ask for—that’s not what I wanted to talk about.”

“Is it about Decy?”

Clever girl. “Yes.”

“Are you two getting married?” she asks. Air seizes in my lungs, and I choke. “Do you love him?”

I hack for air, face flaming as I fight for breath. She’s going tokill me.

“We’re not getting married,” I say once I can breathe again, and Nora frowns, as if it’s the worst thing to ever happen to her.

“Why not?”

“Because we’ve only been dating for a few months.”

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