Page 10 of Fighting Chance

hope everything is all right Ashford

call me when you get a chance

Perched on the veranda steps, side by side with Grayson, we peer down at his backyard, watching as Emmy comes to life for the first time since I saw her crying at the foster home.

Bella, Bambi, and Emmy all frolic in the yard, but more so Emmy and Bambi; Bella has become a third wheel almost. She’s tried everything to coax even so much as a laugh from Emmy but her lips are sealed like a vault. Although Bambi, who hasn’t left my daughter’s side since she set her doggy gaze on her, has managed to pull out a small timid smile.

The breath was completely knocked from my lungs when I saw it, and I was flooded with the primal urge to do everything in my power to make it happen again.

“She was found beside her, Grayson,” I mutter. “She sat with her dead mother for God knows how long.” My voice cracks as I add, “They think it was four days.”

Grayson is quiet beside me. Let’s face it, what the fuck do you even say to that?

“I have no idea what I’m doing. I have no family to give her…no one, Grayson. I am utterly alone. She’s as good as an orphan.”

Grayson’s head whips to me. “You haveus, Kieran. We’re your family.” The conviction in his tone makes me lift my gaze to his. “Me, Bella, and the team. Not to mention my parents. My mom will be heartbroken over Emmy’s story but you know what she’s like, she’ll be claiming Emmy is her grandbaby the moment she finds out about her.”

I take my hat off my head and run my fingers through my hair, then put the cap on backwards. “Of course you’re all my family but…you know what I mean.”

He shakes his head. “No, I don’t. You have a family; you have since the day we met. I’m your brother, regardless that we don’t have the same blood, and I know Drew would be saying the exact same thing right now if he were here.”

The reminder of Drew sends a pang through my chest. Fuck do I wish that funny bastard was here right now giving me shit over this and lightening the mood.

I allow Grayson, the only one in this world I’ve ever felt comfortable with, to see my vulnerability as I whisper gutturally, “What if I’m not enough? What if I fuck up? Grayson, I don’t want her to have the same childhood I had. It would crush me if I were the very thing to destroy her.”

Grayson’s hand lands on my shoulder. “The fact that you’re so concerned that you’re going to upset her or fuck up is already proving that you’re the right person for her. Youcare, Kieran, and that’s more than any of the supposed parental figures in your life did.” He blows out a breath. “And I’m sorry to say, but you absolutely will fuck up.”

His hands rise in surrender at the look I give him.

“All parents do. Even my sweet angel of a mom can say and do the wrong thing sometimes because she’s human. It would be unnatural if you randomly got handed a child and suddenly knew exactly what to do.”

“So you’re saying I’m for sure going to fuck up my kid’s head?” I scoff. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Cap.”

Grayson rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean. Case in point, I said the wrong thing despite my great intentions.”

My stomach sinks. “I’m fucked.”

“No, you’re not. I’ll have my mom come over and help, give a crash course on parenting, and Bella and I are here?—”

I snort out a laugh. “Yeah, about that…—” I drop my head back with a groan. “You’re going to think I’m crazy. I bought the house across the street.”

“Youwhat?” He sputters out a surprised laugh. “When the hell did you do that?”

“This afternoon.”

“You don’t do shit half-assed, do you, Ashford?”

I look down at the yard, watching Emmy chase Bambi around a tree. “It seems I don’t.”

We fall into a comfortable silence, the weight of my new reality weighing upon both our shoulders. Because Grayson’s right, we are brothers in every sense of the word. What happens to me happens to him as well.

“She’s very cute. She looks exactly like you.”

My lip twitches, daring to lift into a smile. “You think?”

He nods, his gaze transfixed on Bella as she squeals with laughter as Bambi tackles her, shortly followed by a timid Emmy. “Yeah, she has honestly everything but your eyes.”

“The Ashford eyes,” I murmur, a flash of my mom invading my mind.