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I nod. “Yeah.”

She studies me. “I'm glad you did.”

I let out a quiet breath. “Me too.”

Her fingers slide into mine. “And for what it's worth, I think your grandfather would be pretty proud of the man you became.”

I look at her.

She means it.

Every word.

And fuck, I wish I knew how to explain what that does to me.

Instead, I pull her closer.

She comes willingly, settling against my chest.

I press my mouth to her hair.

“The first birthday I remember really liking was after I came to Evergreen,” I admit.

She lifts her head. “Really?”

“Your mom made me a chocolate cake. Your dad let me pick dinner. Declan gave me some stupid hockey cards he already owned.”

She laughs softly. “That sounds like him.”

“Yeah.” I smile at the memory.

“And you…”

She looks up. “What about me?”

“You were little. Maybe seven or eight. You made me a birthday card.”

Her eyes widen. “I did?”

“Yep.”

“What did it say?”

I grin. “Pretty sure you spelled my name wrong.”

She gasps. “I did not.”

“You absolutely did.”

“How?”

“B-I-S-H-U-P.”

She bursts out laughing. “Oh, my God.”

“Had a drawing of a hockey stick on the front. Or maybe it was a tree. Hard to tell.”

She smacks my chest. “Rude.”