Page 94 of Fall For Me
She grumbles something under her breath as the front door opens, and the guys come in with Jade running right past them.
“Daddy let me skate today!” Jade says, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “He found these pretty pink skates in the closet at work.”
“He did?” Granny asks.
“Yep. And guess what? They fit me perfectly. He won’t let me bring 'em home ‘cause they’re not mine. We just borrowed 'em. Daddy says he’s going to buy me my own skates so I can be a hockey player when I grow up.”
“Oh, yeah? What position do you wanna play?” I ask, smiling down at her.
“Goalie. Just like Seany.”
Aiden rolls his eyes. “Of course.”
“Jealousy doesn’t look good on you, man.” Sean laughs and squats down in front of Jade, tilting her chin to look at him. “If you’re gonna be a goalie, you have to squint your eyes like this.”
He squints, and she squints back.
“Yeah. That’s it. You gotta give a really good mean mug. Purse your lips like this.”
She does as he instructs.
“Good, now scrunch your nose and growl really loud like this. Grrrrrr.”
“Grrrrrrrr.”
“That’s it, mija. You’ll be the best darn goalie anyone’s ever seen.” Sean laughs and ruffles her hair, then turns to Aiden. “Sorry, Brodie, she was born to be a goalie.”
“Eff off. She’s gonna be a winger.” Aiden pats Jade on the back. “Go take your stuff to your room and wash up for supper.”
Smiling, I watch Jade run out of the room and stand to grab my bag.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” Aiden asks.
“Of course.”
“Good.” He nods and heads out of the living room, calling over his shoulder, “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”
I plop back down on the couch, and Sean takes a seat next to me. His hand slides onto my thigh, and his thumb brushes back and forth as if he’s trying to offer me some semblance of comfort. I hate it whensomeone says they wanna talk, then they leave you hanging in anticipation.
My brows pinch together. “Do you know what this is about?”
“I do,” he says, and the fact that he’s smiling should tell me I have nothing to worry about, but it doesn’t douse the flames of anxiety burning in my gut.
I glance over at Granny and she smiles. A few minutes later, Aiden strides back into the room with a hefty stack of papers and hands them to me. I catch the petition for his name to be added to Jade’s birth certificate. “This is amazing, Aiden. I’m so happy for you.”
“Keep going,” he encourages.
I flip through page after page, not understanding a single bit of the legal jargon, but then I come across a page with my name. I cast a quick glance up at Aiden, before focusing back on the document.
In the event of my death, incapacity, or inability to care for my minor child, Jaiden Elaine Brodie, I hereby nominate, Hannah Jenkins, Jade’s godmother, as the sole legal guardian of her person and estate . . .
My hand flies to my mouth, and I gasp. Tears blur the words on the page until I can barely make them out.
“Will you be Jade’s godmother?”
My nose burns. My chest aches. And my voice shatters on his name. “Aiden . . .”
Launching myself off the couch, I throw my arms around my best friend.
