Billy

"Uncle Rory! Uncle Rory!" I hear the sound of a little girl from behind me. I turn to look at her, her dark brown pigtails bouncing behind her. Her eyes go wide and she stops on a dime a few feet from me.

"Sorry, mister. I thought you were my uncle." She says with a nervous smile. I chuckle and smile back.

"No problem, pippy." I say with a smirk and she narrows her eyes at me.

"Pippy?" She questions.

"Yeah. Like Pippy Longstockings. With the pigtails." I say, tugging on one gently.

"Never heard of it." She says, making me feel a thousand years old.

"Willow! How many times have I told you to wait for me!" I look behind the little girl to see a woman running up to her.

"Sorry, Mom." The girl says. And in her defense, she does look contrite. "I thought he was Uncle Rory." She says and the lady huffs, before looking up at me.

My eyes catch hers and I'm momentarily stunned. She's wearing a typical park outift, t shirt, cardigan, jeans and white Keds, but her eyes pull me in. The deepest shade of brown I've ever seen with shiny flecks of gold.

Fucking beautiful.

She gives me a small apologetic smile, throwing her dark brown hair up into a messy bun on top of her head. Fuck me, I have no idea why those billowy buns are so damn cute. But they are.

"I'm sorry about that." She says and I shake my head to try and gather my senses.

"No problem." I answer.

"Push me, Biwy!" I hear Ellie's sweet voice calling from the swing I just abandoned.

"Sorry, baby girl." I tell her, but she looks around me at Willow.

"Wanna play?" Ellie asks the girl. She nods and they run off onto the playground together and I can't help but smile at the sight.

"Wish I could make friends that easily." The woman says and I huff out a laugh.

"Let's practice. I'm Billy." I say, holding my hand out. She shakes it and smiles at me, her smile nearly knocks me on my ass.

"Ainsley. Nice to meet you." She says, her voice becoming sweeter as the hardness from scolding her daughter evaporates.

I look to the girls, climbing the jungle gym together, and motion for her to sit on a bench with me. She does and my heart gives a pathetic little flutter.

"They seem to be getting along well." She says and I nod.

"Yeah. Ellie doesn't have trouble making friends. Girl never stops talking." I say, smiling affectionately at the sweet little girl that owns my heart.

"Is she yours?" She asks and I shake my head.

"No. My friends, Jax and Emily, they just had a baby. We took the older kids for the afternoon to give them peace and quiet. Chad is over there with their other kid, Jace." I say, motioning to Chad who is pushing Jace in his own swing.

"You two are a cute couple." Ainsley says and I choke on my spit before chuckling. She looks at me curiously and I shake my head.

"No. We're not a couple. Chad swings that way, but I don't." I say laughing and Ainsley's face heats up in a pretty blush.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed." She says, obviously mortified by her mistake and I chuckle again, knocking my shoulder against hers.

"It's fine. No big deal. I could do a lot worse than Chad." I say with a little smile, looking back over at Ellie. She's still having a blast, playing tag with her new friend. "Your daughter is adorable." I say, not really knowing how to continue the conversation. I hate awkward silences.

"Thanks." Ainsley says, but her eyes look away and get a little misty, a sad, wistful expression takes over her face.

"I'm sorry. Should I not have said that?" I ask, my heart suddenly pounding nervously. Leave it to me to say something stupid in the first five minutes of meeting what is arguably the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.

"It's not that it's just... She's not really my daughter. I mean, she is in every way that matters, but her mom was my best friend. So when you said she's adorable... well, she looks just like her mom." She says, her voice catching a little.

"I didn't mean to upset you." I say quietly, reaching out to squeeze her arm a little. She looks over at me as I pull my hand back and gives me a sad smile.

"Sorry. I'm not usually like this. It just caught me off guard." She says and I nod in understanding.

"Can I ask what happened?"

"Her mom was killed by a drunk driver. Sarah had worked late one night and was blindsided when the guy ran a stop sign. She died on impact. I was watching Willow when it happened and was listed as her emergency contact. Willow had just turned three, she had no idea, no understanding of what happened." She explains and I nod, sitting quietly trying to take in the weight of her words.

"That's amazing of you, to take in her daughter like that." I say and she shrugs.

"Sarah's parents are older, retired, both of them disabled. They had no way to care for a toddler and Sarah was an only child. Willow's dad was never in the picture, so it just seemed like the right thing to do." She says.

I look over at Ellie, imagine losing her parents. I have to rub my chest from the sudden ache the thought brings on. Could I do the same? Raise those kids like my own?

I don't even need to think about it. The answer is hell yes.

Ainsley takes a deep breath and sighs it out.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get all mopey." She says with a much brighter smile as her phone rings. She answers it and I try not to listen to her conversation. Willow and Ellie come running over just as Ainsley hangs up.

"Was that Uncle Rory?" Willow asks and Ainsley nods.

"Yeah, sweetie. He got tied up at the station and can't make it." She says and Willow pouts a little before turning to Ellie.

"My Uncle is a police officer. He catches bad guys." She says and I chuckle at her enthusiasm.

"Her uncle?" I ask, curiosity killing me at this point, hoping it's not Ainsley's boyfriend or husband.

"My brother." She answers. "He helps me with Willow when he can." She says as the girls run off.

"Well, Chad and I were going to take the kids for ice cream after the park. They seem to get along well, if you'd like to join us." I offer and she looks at me appraisingly. "My treat." I add with a beaming smile to sweeten the deal. She chuckles and nods.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." She says with a warm smile and my stomach does a little flop, looking forward to spending more time with this girl. I don't know what it is about her, but I just feel like I need to know her better. I smile at her again and she blushes, before looking away and I can't help but wonder if she feels this too, a sudden magnetism that draws me closer to her. I open my mouth to say something else when my phone rings. I see it's Emily and know she won't stop calling until I answer it.

"Hey Ems, what's up?" I ask.

"How are my babies?" She asks seriously.

"They're fine. And how's my newest princess?" I ask and Emily huffs.

"Won't stop eating." She says.

"I hear that's what babies do." I say teasingly. She huffs again making me chuckle.

"You tell little Olivia Uncle Billy loves her." I coo.

"Let me talk to my little love." Emily says and I call for Ellie.

"El! Your mom wants to talk to you!" I shout and Ellie comes running, grabbing my phone and chattering away like she owns the joint. I look over at Ainsley and she's watching me with a warm smile.

"What?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"Nothing." She quips as Ellie hands me back my phone.

"My mama misses me." She says proudly and I chuckle, kissing her plump little cheek.

"Of course she does. You're the best little girl in the world." I say and Ellie smiles before running off to resume her place on the playground hierarchy.

"You're so good with her." Ainsley says, but I just shrug.

"I've been there since she was born. Her dad is one of my best friends. I'd die for that girl." I say firmly, the emotion tugging at my chest.

"She's a lucky girl." Ainsley murmurs.

'What I wouldn't do to make you my girl' I can't help but think to myself.