“I know. Now come over here and give your old Ma a hug.” She held her arms out to me and my chest swelled as I wrapped her in a fierce hug. I couldn’t remember a time I’d ever been so happy.
I was a lucky, lucky man.
Candy Hearts
CHAPTER 1
Oliver
“Come say bye-bye to Uncle Ollie,” Nathaniel singsonged. “Give him a big hug!”
“C’mere, peanut-butt.” Grinning so big my cheeks hurt, I crouched down and outstretched my arms to the dark-haired little girl, who squealed with delight. She ran over, her shoes tip-tapping as fast as her short legs could carry her. She collided with my chest and I scooped her up. “Kennedy Lynn, I gotta leave.”
“Why?”
“I got stuff to do,” I told her.
“But why?”
“Because.”
“Becausewhy?”Apparently “why” was her favorite word.
“I gotta go home so I can get up and go to work,” I explained. “If I don’t go to work, I don’t make money and you want me to buy you presents, riiight?” I waggled my eyebrows, making them jump. She giggled and hugged me tight around the neck, and let me tell you—if you ever feel like nobody loves you? A hug from a kid will do the trick.
“Be back?” she asked, bright-eyed and hopeful, and who could say no to a face like that?
“Promise.”
“Bye-bye, Uncie Ollie.”
“Bye, princess. Love you.” With one last squeeze, I let her go and stood.
“Alright there, Ollie?” My best friend, Mackenzie Weaver, patted me on the shoulder when he saw me rub at my nose. Damn it. I couldn’t have been one of those stoic, unemotional Alphas who never shed a single tear. Nope, I was the kind of guy who cried over Disney movies. Lucky me.
I sniffled. “Yeah. Oh, yeah, I’m good. Just, uh… Got some dirt in my eye.” Mac and his fiancéNathaniel shared The Look. I scowled. “Oh, shut up, both of you. I’m allowed to get a little sappy. She’s my goddaughter, for Christ’s sake.”
“Goodbye is not forever,” Nathaniel pointed out, tapping his long fingers over his bottom lip. He raised a brow. “Besides, it’s not like you live a thousand miles away. You can come visit more often, you know.”
I huffed. “I know, but I’ve got work, and…” I trailed off with a sigh. “You’re right. I should come around more. It’s just…” Hard. Itwashard. Harder than I ever thought imaginable. Seeing Mac and Nathaniel together? Happy? It made me happy, but it hurt too. It made me second guess everything.
Like a mate and children. Until Kennedy came into my life, I was pretty damn certain I never wanted kids, but now…
My gaze strayed to Nathaniel, to the slightly-there bump beneath the Omega’s long-sleeved t-shirt. Soon, their happy little family of three would be expanding, and I was the one who’d made that miracle possible. Well. My sperm did. I was their donor, because Mac was sterile and his mate desperately wanted a large family. They were my friends and I wanted to help. I didn’t regret it, don’t get me wrong.
I just wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle being around as much, once the baby was born. Maybe that made me a selfish prick. I didn’t know. I didn’t really want to.
I swallowed the emotion packed tight in my throat and offered a lopsided smile. I hated the way my friends were staring at me, like they saw right through my happy facade to the deep well of loneliness underneath.
I chin-nodded to my car. “I should probably go. Don’t wanna be late.”
“Thanks again for bringing Kennedy’s stuff home. She would’ve never gone to sleep tonight without Mr. Hop…” Nathaniel looked pointedly at the pink-furred bunny rabbit dangling from Kennedy’s hand by a single paw. “I can’t believe I forgot it. Pregnancy brain?”
“No problem,” I murmured.
Mac flung his burly arm around my shoulders in a half-hug. “Don’t be a stranger, Ollie. This little girl thinks the world of you, and she’d be thrilled to have you come around more often.”
“Thanks,” I choked out, mentally retreating. “See you later, Mac, Nate.”
