Ballers: His Game (Ballers Series Book 1)(18)

She grabs for the turnovers and starts to munch away. It is easier than I thought. She sits humming and watching me. I watch her just as intently. Her lashes are blonde but so long and thick. Her hair is not a golden blonde like mine but it is a dirty blonde color with sandy brown highlights.

“Do you go to school Ellie,” I ask.

She nods in between bites then covers her mouth with her small hand. It is such a lady like gesture. “But Mommy let me skip two weeks to take me on a cruise,” her eyes sparkle when she says mommy.

“Oh really, I bet you had a lot of fun.”

“Oh yes, I did. It was just me and Mommy and I got to go swimming, see movies, play, take princess pictures. At night me and Mommy sat in our room and read our books on our readers while having quiet girlfriend time to unwind,” she says animatedly.

Yeah, this kid could not be mine. She is definitely too old to be mine. I sit quietly to watch her devour the rest of the food. She cleans the plate, which leaves me chuckling. I have no idea where she packed it all. We clean up and then we go to get our cake and ice cream before returning to our seats.

“Mr. Brad, thank you. This is so good,” she chimes as she shoves ice cream and cake in her mouth.

“You’re welcome and your’e right it is good,” I chuckle.

“I think we should tell Mommy to get a cake like this for my party. Will you come with me to tell her,” she says excitedly.

“Sure Sugar, what kind of party,” I ask.

Her whole face lights up. That’s when I really look at her. Her eyes aren’t just blue. They are the exact same blue as mine. Not that I haven’t seen people with blue eyes before outside my family, but my family has a distinctive blue. They’re not just blue they are midnight around the outside and bleed into a turquoise then light blue around the irises. When they light up from our excitement they almost glow, just like hers are doing right now.

“My birthday party, it’s going to be a princess party,” she sings.

“How old are you Ellie,” I have to know.

“I’m three but I’ll be four in a few months for my princess party,” she gushes then her face lights up more, like she just had the best idea ever. “Oh Mr. Brad, will you come to my party? You’re my new friend you have to come.”

I am stunned into silence. Could she be confused? My nieces and nephews were nothing like her at three or four and she is so tall. I feel like I am talking to a small adult, she has to be older. Her being older would release this pit in my stomach.

Her face falls when I don’t answer her question and she places her spoon on her plate and pushes the little bite left away. I snap out of it at the sight of her crestfallen face. She wipes her little hands on a napkin and slides out of her chair.

“Brielle,” I croak then clear my throat. She turns her little face toward me and looks at me with sad big blue eyes. “I would love to come to your party, but we have to ask your mommy and Uncle Ellerie first, okay?”

Her full megawatt smile comes back and she nods her head with excitement causing her curls to bounce around her face. She launches herself at me and wraps her little arms around my neck. Something tugs in my heart and I am happy I could bring that smile back to her face.





Chapter 7


“What did you do with my daughter?” I narrow my eyes and look around the crowded tent.

Ellerie just strolls over to me like he owns the world. He throws an arm over my shoulder and squeezes. I fold my arms across my chest and give him a pointed look.

“Will you relax,” Ellerie says and rolls his eyes. “I love you and that kid more than life itself. I’ve known where you and she have been every moment we’ve been here. You do remember I’ve got the tall gene. I can see over the crowd unlike you.”

“Oh shut up,” I giggle. “I’ve had to hear about you and your tall gene and your hazel eye gene since we were little. I don’t know why I even like you. You spend more time teasing me than anything.”

“You sister dear, love me. And you love me because I tell the best jokes, babysit whenever you need, and I kick anyone’s ass that tries to step out of line,” Ellerie says straightening his jacket and his tie.

“Whatever,” I laugh. “Where’s Bri?”

“I sent her on a mission to have fun, something I’m hoping to get you to do,” Ellerie says nonchalantly.

“I think I’m doing good. I was having fun talking to Teddy and Eric,” I retort.

“Teddy is in a bitter marriage and I almost had to kick his ass for even having thoughts of trying to bring you into that mess. Eric is …Yeah, those two are not the type that I want my baby sister with. Besides, their my best friends we talk a lot of trash to each other but they know how I feel about you and Ellie and they wouldn’t go there.”

“What, I’m not good enough for your friends,” I put my hand on my hip and scowl. “I was thinking about going out with Teddy and his wife.”

Ellerie’s mouth pops open and he glares at me until I can no longer keep a straight face. I throw my head back and laugh. Ellerie tugs at a loose piece of hair at my temple.

“Dad called me last night. They’re on their way back home from Greece,” Ellerie swiftly changes the subject.

“Good, so they’ll be in the States for Bri’s birthday. I was thinking about going to New York after her party.”