Hadley climbed out quickly. “It’s late. What brings you here? Have you been waiting long?”
“Not really.” A grin spread across Eric’s face. “I got here not too long ago. You weren’t home, and I figured you might be with Elissa, so I decided to stick around a little…”
A smirk played on his lips as he added, “My timing was perfect—I caught you. I’ll get going now.”
Hadley looked at him, lost in thought for a moment. It surprised her that he showed up just to see her, even if it was only for a minute.
“You should get inside and rest. Goodnight.” Eric smiled at her and started making his way back to his car.
“Eric!” A sudden impulse made Hadley call his name.
“Yeah?” Eric stopped on the spot. “What’s up?”
He spoke again, his tone reassuring. “If you’re worried about Elissa, don’t stress. I promised you I’d take care of things, and I am working on it. It’s just going to take a bit. Hang in there.”
“Okay.” Hadley nodded, even though her reason for stopping him was different. She pointed toward the house. “Why don’t you come inside and see Joy?” Joy would already be asleep at this hour.
“She’s out like a light. You won’t wake her by taking a quick look,” she added.
“Really?” Eric’s eyes brightened, an honest smile spreading across his face. Eager, he thanked her right away. “Thanks, Hadley!”
“No problem.” Hadley didn’t even think about taking back her offer. Unlocking the door, she said, “Come on in.”
Eric followed her inside, and together they walked upstairs to Joy’s room. On the big bed, Joy slept peacefully.
They stood quietly on either side, both watching their daughter with gentle eyes.
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“She’s absolutely precious.” Eric couldn’t help himself—he bent down and pressed a soft kiss on Joy’s cheek, careful not to wake her. He whispered with a smile, “I came to see you, my little princess.”
After a few moments, they stepped out of the room. Though it was hard to leave, Eric looked happy. He glanced at Hadley. “Joy got your beauty, you know. She’s such a lovely girl.”
Hadley crossed her arms and shot him a playful look. “You’re just saying that. She’s obviously your little copy.”
Back when Joy was small, their resemblance wasn’t that obvious. As she got older, Eric’s features started showing in her face. One thing was certain—Joy was indeed beautiful. Both father and daughter had striking looks, and it hardly mattered if you saw them together or apart.
Suddenly, a laugh bubbled up from Hadley.
Eric looked confused, blinking a few times. “What’s so funny?”
Without pausing, Hadley answered, “I just remembered something from years ago and realized how shallow I used to be.”
She started making her way downstairs as she spoke.
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