Page 125 of Holding You
All of them erupt into laughter.
“Who cares what people think?” Sadie asks. “If he makes you happy, I think you need to talk to him.”
She makes it sound so easy.
I wish I didn’t care so much what other people think of me, but I spent so long trying to impress Colt’s parents that somewhere along the way, it’s now a part of me.
I don’t want it to be part of me.
No one can fix that but me.
“I think you should go for it.” Brooke grins.
Sadie nods. “Me too.”
“Same.”
“Agreed.”
“If he were just some guy you had a crush on, you wouldn’t come looking for advice. But this is Declan. That man had eyes for you the first time I saw you two in a room together.”
“No, he didn’t,” I say and can feel my cheeks warm from blushing.
“Yes, he did.”
I try to hide the smile on my face.
“He’s a really good dad, and he’s kind and thoughtful. Living with him has been much easier than I thought, and I get excited that he’s there. It makes me sad to think they will move out eventually. I like having him near me.”
“And you trust him?” Quinn asks.
Her question takes me by surprise, but not for the reason you’d think. It surprises me because I don’t have to think twice when I say, “Yes, I do.”
Sadie squeals with a clap.
Quinn’s phone rings, interrupting the conversation, but that’s okay.
I know what I need to do.
I need to forget what everyone is saying or thinking about me and focus on me and Declan only. Who I want to be and who I think we could be.
It’s easier said than done, but there’s only one way to give it a chance.
An unfamiliar caris parked outside the house when I get home a couple of hours later.
I pull into the garage then head inside; the noise of two kids laughing hits me the moment I open the door.
All eyes shift to me
“You must be Ruby!” An older woman with gray hair cut into a bob rushes toward me.
An older man sitting next to Declan on the couch chuckles.
“Now, dear, don’t overwhelm her. This is her house, and she didn’t know we were coming.”
“They just showed up maybe ten minutes ago,” Declan adds.
“Declan’s mom and dad brought cookies!” Max says between bites.
