Page 163 of Fighting Chance

Kieran’s lips brush against mine ever so softly and a zap ofelectricity passes through me. I gasp. Kieran’s just as shocked, yet it only startles him momentarily.

Quickly pulling away, he turns to Grayson and Bella kissing in the kitchen. He whistles. “Pack it up, lover boy.”

Grayson comes up with a dopey smile. “Go get Emmy in the car and I’ll meet you there. I need to say goodbye to my girl.”

Without another word, he spins and resumes kissing Bella like it’s the last time he’ll taste her. I should be laughing or teasing my best friend but I’m still reeling from my moment with Kieran.

His lipsbarelybrushed mine and it felt like I was electrocuted.

Kieran walks past and winks. “Got a bit of drool on your chin, Carson.”

That snaps me out of my haze.

Shooting daggers at him, I throw it right back. “Pants looking a bit tight, Ashford.”

He stops suddenly, his full attention on me now, and mouths,Always around you.

As it turns out, it took a lot longer for the men to leave. Emmy had a complete meltdown about leaving Bambi. I shouldn’t find it funny but watching Kieran try and soothe the absolute hurricane that was Emmy, all while the golden just sat there smiling like it was the best day of her life, was hilarious. Bella and I couldn’t stop laughing.

Kieran will need the patience of a saint because little Emmy might just be as stubborn as her father.

Thirty minutes later, and more bribes than I could count, they decided to compromise…and when I say compromise, I mean they took Bambi with them.

Emmy has Kieran wrapped around her little finger.

Bella flops beside me, opening a packet of chips. “Looks like it really is just us tonight now.”

Nestling into the couch, I feel at ease as she turns onThe Vampire Diaries, season two.

“How are you feeling, Lil?”

“Better now that you’re here.”

She’s pensive, her lips tightening before she blurts out, “You’d tell me, wouldn’t you? If you thought you were relapsing?”

I give her a soft smile. “You’d be the first person I’d call.”

Something shifts on her face. Relief, perhaps? The emotion is there and gone before I can decipher it. Sighing suddenly, she returns her gaze to the TV. “I needed this.”

“Me too,” I say softly. “Are Allie and Carlton still staying at the house?”

What a silly question to ask, though. Allie hasn’t been here in a few days and when she’s in town, she’s here every day, joining Emmy and me on our park adventures or even sometimes just coming in to help with cleaning and laundry.

She is an angel, one that has also roped my mother into a friendship. Those two have begun talking more than I talk to my mother, and that’s saying something. If my mom is laughing, it’s because she’s on the phone with Allie.

Bella shakes her head as the telltale sound of the intro starts. “They left a couple of days ago.” She leans over and takes my hand in hers, squeezing. “That bear, Lil…I can’t begin to describe how it’s gotten me through those hard moments of missing my mom.” She pauses, her voice soft. “It revives me when I feel like I’m drowning.”

Squeezing her hand back, I whisper, “I’m glad.”

A weighted pause fills the room.

“I miss her,” she says finally, her lip quivering.

“I know, B.”

“Did you know I still try to call her sometimes?” she confesses, the first tear rolling down her cheek. “Sometimes Iforget she’s?—”

Bella stops abruptly, not able to finish her sentence. Tears spring into my eyes, too, at seeing my best friend’s grief.