Andrew #2
“I won’t let anything happen, D,” Andrew says, voice soft. He takes Danielle’s hand in his and rubs his thumb over the back of it. “I promise.”
“You’ll stay right with her?”
“I swear.”
Danielle looks between the three of them, and finally relents. “Alright, but be careful.”
“We will!” Harper says, standing and hugging Danielle’s neck. “I promise! Come on, Uncle Jet! Let’s go!”
“I’m going to stay in, if you’re okay with it,” Danielle replies. “It’s a little too cold out there for me, and I want to make sure dinner is ready before more people get here.”
“I can help,” Ainsley says, “Jamie barely lets me do the dishes these days.”
“You’re supposed to rest,” JT says, raising a brow .
“I’m pregnant, not dying,” Ainsley says, rolling her eyes. “I can do work around the house.”
“Dad, can we go now?” Harper asks. Andrew’s heart does a little jump in his chest when he hears it, and he wonders if it will always be like this.
“Let’s go, bug,” he replies, nodding. “JT can you grab the goal?”
“You got it, boss.”
Andrew rolls his eyes, and they head out to the backyard pond.
“Dad, huh?” JT asks, grinning.
“Yeah, I guess so.” Andrew says, matching grin on his face.
“You’re the one who sent the texts?” Danielle is asking as Andrew makes his way inside. Her voice is raised, coming from the kitchen, and he stops in the hallway.
He wants to know who did it, too. Wants to know who caused the most painful month of his life, so that he can decide if it’s worth confronting them or not.
“Danielle,” a male voice says, softly, intimately.
Andrew feels anger bubbling up inside him, but he takes a steadying breath.
“You have to know how I feel about you. I’ve been in love with you since high school, and now that you’re Harper’s mom…
it just makes sense. More sense than you falling for a guy after two months. ”
“Erick,” Danielle says, and she sounds irritated. But it’s subtle, you’d have to know her the way Andrew does to hear it in her voice. “It would never work. I’ve known for years, and I’ve tried to draw boundaries, but it just can’t happen.”
“I sent the texts because there’s no way you and he could work!” Erick says. “His life is too different from yours, and it’s not good for Harper! How can you possibly make it work when what’s good for you is right here?”
“I cannot believe you would be so slimy about this!” Danielle says, fully angry now.
Andrew doesn’t blame her. It’s taking all of his self-control to stand in the hall and listen.
“His life, and mine, were full steam ahead on a crash course towards each other,” Danielle says, “yours and mine have only ever been parallel at best. The fact that you tried to ruin something that’s actually good in my life just proves we could never work.”
“I did what I had to do. ”
“Joke’s on you,” Andrew says, finally choosing the right moment to appear. Danielle clearly hadn’t told Erick that he was in town, judging by the way the other man’s mouth drops open at the sight of him.
Erick recovers quickly. “What are you doing here?”
“Harper needs her scarf, D,” Andrew says, ignoring him. “Do you know where it is?”
“It should be in the hall closet,” she says, relief flooding her features. “Is she doing okay out there?”
“More than okay,” Andrew says, crossing the kitchen to her. Danielle hugs around his waist and looks up at him. “She scored a goal already. She’s practically a natural.”
“Figures,” Danielle replies, “she can’t like a normal, safe sport. It has to be hockey.”
“I can’t help it,” Andrew grins, “I have that effect on the women in my life.”
“Why are you here?” Erick asks again.
“Did you not know?” Andrew asks. Danielle shifts and tucks herself into his side, arms still around his waist. “We’re back together.”
“How long have you been listening?” Erick asks .
“Long enough,” Andrew answers, even though it’s more than this guy deserves. “I heard the whole thing.”
“I saw your opening game, Fisher,” Erick says. “You might as well have been the mascot with how much time you spent off the ice for penalties.”
“Thanks to someone,” Andrew replies, glaring, “I was distracted. I’m back on my game now. I would appreciate it if you leave my girlfriend alone. I’m not the only one you’ll have to answer to.”
“Calling in the reinforcements?” Erick says.
“I know people in this town,” Andrew says with a shrug, “I would hate to have to get them involved in something that’s easily avoidable.
I know you have to be around because you’re Harper’s uncle.
But, I also need you to understand that if you pull shit like that again, I won’t sit still and let it happen. Got it?”
“You don’t deserve her.”
“Never said I did,” Andrew replies, “but it doesn’t mean I can’t spend the rest of my life trying to.”
“Can you be a grown up about this, or am I going to have to ask you to leave?” Danielle asks, raising a brow. “Because it’s Christmas, and I really don’t want more drama than necessary. ”
“I would say I’m sorry,” Erick says, a hint of sadness in his voice now, “but I’m not. I had to try. Tell Harper I said Merry Christmas.”
Without another word, he turns and leaves, and Andrew feels Danielle sag against him in relief.
“Are you okay?” he asks, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She nods into his shoulder, but doesn’t let go of her hold on his waist.
“I will be,” she says with a sigh. “I guess I didn’t keep the boundaries clear enough while you were gone.”
“It’s not your fault,” he says, shaking his head, “sometimes, guys can’t take no for an answer.”
“Like you?” she asks, raising a brow.
“I knew you liked me,” he says, grinning, “and I wasn’t going to give up once I figured it out.”