The Princess & the Football Player

Chapter 31

"Who is ringing at the door this late at night?" Mrs. Rice says.

"I'll go!" Blake replies.

"Ask who it is before opening!"

"I'll go with him, don't worry" his dad says.

"Maybe it's some Christmas carols" Declan shrugs.

"That may cheer you up" his mum says, caressing his cheek. "Why don't you go check yourself?"

"Nah..."

"Uncle Dec" Blake says, coming back into the living room. "They are asking for you."

"Me?"

"Yep" his brother says, trying to hide a smile.

"Ok" Declan sighs before getting up from the table, his brother giving him a pat in the back as he walks past him.

The moment he leaves the room, everyone starts whispering, and he could swear he hears Blake saying a name...

"Eleanor?"

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"Hi" I say.

"Is it... Is it really you?" Declan says, looking at me as if I wasn't real.

"In the flesh" I chuckle.

"I... I don't get it. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be..."

"Getting engaged like the whole country knows? Yeah, I should. But I said no."

"You what?"

"I said no" I shrug. "I don't want to marry Charles."

"You... I... This is..." he says, running a hand through his hair. God, his hair. I've missed it so much. "Do they know you are here?"

"Nope, I ran away. That's why I look like this" I say, looking down at my dress.

"Gorgeous, you mean?" he chuckles, smiling and making me feel butterflies on my stomach. It was the same feeling I had when we first met.

"Thank you" I reply.

"But how did you do it?"

"Sophie and David had it all planned. They know me better than I know myself."

"Sorry to interrupt" Mrs. Rice says behind Declan. "But Eleanor, are you staying? Should I add another plate to the table? We still are half way through dinner."

"That's too kind, Mrs. Rice. But I don't want to be an inconvenience, I can leave."

"Nonsense. You are staying with us. Isn't she, Dec?"

"Of course she is" he says. "But you should probably get changed first."

"I thought you liked this dress" I say with a cheeky smile.

"Oh, I do. But you are gonna be eating a lot, you need to be comfortable. Come" he says, offering me his hand and walking me to his room, his mother giggling behind us.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

"You remembered" I smile when he gives me some clothes.

"That you loved stealing this tracksuit all the damn time? Of course I did" he laughs. "It looks better on you than on myself, to be honest."

"Thank you for letting me stay. I didn't know where else to go."

"You know you will always be welcomed here" he says, wiping away a tear and catching me by surprise. He is so close...

"I've missed you" I whisper.

"I've missed you too" he says, his hand still on my face, cupping it while moving closer and closer.

"Uncle Dec!" Blake says, making both of us jump. "Grandma asked if you can bring downstairs one of the chairs she has on the office, we are missing one."

"I will, don't worry."

"Where you going to kiss?" he asks with a mischievous smile.

"Get out" Declan says, his nephew quickly running away.

"I've missed him too" I chuckle.

"You won't be saying the same at the end of the night. The teenage years have started."

"Oh dear."

"Oh dear indeed" Declan laughs. "Anyway, I better go get that chair and let you get changed. See you downstairs, ok?"

"Ok. And Declan... Thank you" I say, kissing his cheek.

"Anything for you" he smiles, making me feel as if time hadn't passed. As if we still were living in that bubble from the beginning of our relationship, the press not knowing about us. As if it was just us and our love for each other, making me feel the happiest I've ever felt. Making me feel at home.