Page 9 of Fighting Chance
I blow out a breath as I see the barrage of worried texts from Grayson. Tightening my hold on Emmy, I stand from the steps, taking one long glance at the empty house before turning.
“Time to face the music,” I whisper to myself.
Logically, I know the walk across the street is nothing and yet it feels like an eternity, my steps slow and clipped. Even my hands feel numb as I punch in the gate code.
It’s as if I’m not in my body. I’m watching myself walk down Grayson’s long tree-lined driveway, and I can see Emmy looking back at me. Her big brown eyes are taking in everything aroundher, her thumb stuck in her mouth as she does so. Her other little hand is playing with the locks of my shaggy black hair at the back.
Blinking quickly, I come back to myself, steeling my heart and mind for the conversation I’m about to have.
The moment I walk through that door, this all becomes real.Thisbecomes my new reality.
Everything I ever knew is about to change. It already has. It changed the moment the matron left that voicemail demanding I come to the house due to an emergency.
Suddenly, my emotions begin to drown me in their depths, sucking me into their whirlwind. I lift my hand to ring the doorbell when my feet stay rooted to the welcome mat, refusing to move forward.
Now they’ll really know something is wrong.
I never ring the doorbell.
And by the way the door flies open to reveal Grayson’s deep frown and Bella’s wide eyes, I know I’ve blown any semblance of cool out the window. Grayson’s gaze flicks between Emmy in my arms and my face.
Do I look as petrified and confused as I feel?
“What did you do, steal a child?” Grayson asks incredulously.
Bella blinks. “God, Kieran, we can help with a lot, but kidnapping is where I draw the line.” She scrunches up her nose. “Please don’t tell me you’re going through a single mother stage. They deserve more than a quick shag.”
My lips part to speak but my tongue doesn’t move.
I want to tell them she’s mine. I want to speak, goddammit, but for once in my life my tongue is a dead weight in my mouth and I find I’m unable to form a single word. Instead, I implore Grayson with my gaze, begging him to understand what I can’t say verbally.
His head tilts before his expression slackens.
Taking a step back, I watch shock thunder through him, his hand reaching out to stabilize himself with Bella’s touch. “No…”
Bella’s face turns stricken as she looks to her boyfriend. “Grayson? What is it? Is…” She trails off, and I can see the moment it dawns on her too. Her hand covers her mouth as she gasps, her eyes flying to Emmy.
Grayson seems to compose himself, barely, as he whispers, “Kieran, whose kid is that?”
The tension between us all is so potent even Bambi approaches from behind, ever so carefully. It’s like she knows that what I’m about to say will change all of our lives.
“Mine,” I croak out.
And the emotions—the utter terror and fear of fucking this kid up, the sadness I feel for what she’s gone through—bubbles to the surface, and before I can think better or control myself around Emmy, a strangled sob tears from my chest as I whisper my best friend’s name like a plea. “Crawford.”
I can feel it. I can feel my mental control about to snap. The events of today, the weight of this revelation, is about to burst from me, and I can’t keep it at bay any longer.
My anguish must be clear across my face because Bella steps forward, placing a gentle hand on Emmy. “Hi darling, do you want to see a doggy? Do you love doggies?”
To my utter surprise and relief, Emmy peels herself away from me, all but toppling into Bella’s arms, and I see that I’m not the only one with tears in my eyes. Her little turned-up nose is flushed, her eyes red- rimmed, the bags beneath them far too dark for a three-year-old. The second Emmy is around the corner, Bella’s soft words soothing her as Bambi trails behind them, I take one look at Grayson and collapse to my knees and weep.
He quickly drops beside me and wraps his arms around me, trying to put me back together again.
Chapter 3
Kieran
COACH ANDERSON
