Colt held up his hands. “Hey, man, just saying. If you can’t follow Daddy’s orders?—”
“For fuck’s sake, Colt,” Abigail groaned. “Nick’s got it.”
Colt sighed dramatically. “Sorry. It’s my first baby girl. I just wanna make sure she’s okay.”
Abigail’s expression softened. She reached up, stroking his arm. “I know, sweetie. But Nick’s a strong guy. I think we can trust him to hold a baby without dropping her.”
Nick rolled his eyes but sat beside me, holding out his arms. I gently placed Chloe into them, adjusting his hands to make sure she was secure.
“Ready?” I asked.
He nodded, his jaw tight with concentration. As soon as Chloe settled against his chest, his entire body relaxed. His expression shifted from nervousness to something deeper—something unspoken. He stared down at her, completely lost.
Colt exhaled, leaning back against the hospital bed. “Man… it’s crazy. Bodie’s almost nine now, and I swear it feels like yesterday I was in the hospital, holding him for the first time.” His voice thickened with emotion. “It was life-changing, becoming a dad. And I’m just so damn grateful I get to do it again… this time, with the woman of my dreams.”
Abigail turned her head toward him, her eyes shining. Their fingers laced together, and the way they looked at each other made my chest ache all over again.
Nick glanced up at me, something unreadable in his expression. Then, with a small smirk, he asked, “What do you think? You ready to make one of these?”
My breath caught.
I stared at him, then at the baby in his arms, feeling something shift inside me.
I smiled. “Yeah. But I’d like a few more years of making grilled cheese sandwiches with you first, without worrying about a crying baby in the background.”
Nick chuckled, his thumb brushing lightly over Chloe’s tiny hand. “Yeah. Gives us more time to practice, too.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Abigail groaned. “Oh my God, Nick.”
Colt snorted. “Hear ya, man.”
Nick just grinned, but as the room quieted, we all fell into silence, staring down at Chloe Rae Killian—this perfect little human who had already changed everything.
57
NICK
The night stretched endlessly, the kind that made my eyelids heavy and my limbs ache. I could have thrown a mattress in the back and moved in. The scent of garlic and wine still clung to the walls of Villa Ravenna, a familiar comfort after hours of balancing books and wiping down tables. The dishwashers hummed in the background, the only sound in the empty restaurant. I let my sister and mom go home hours ago, but my wife and I stayed late, balancing the books and wiping down tables.
I cracked my neck, stretching my arms as Melanie pushed open my office door.
“Just took my insulin shot, so we’re good to go, Commando.”
The nickname hit me like a jolt. I hadn’t heard her call me that since the early days, when she could barely stand me. Or at least, that’s what I thought. Now I know better. Being a brat was just her way of keeping people at a distance.
“Thanks for actually listening to me.”
She dropped into the chair across from my desk, crossing her legs. “Ahh, love to take credit for everything, don’t you?”
“No, I am just more responsible than you. Not your fault. I had to be.”
She tapped a finger to her chin, mock thinking. “Wasn’t it you who said this has been the best month ever since opening? And you went on and on about how great the marketing has been?”
“Well, that—and Valentine’s Day. The profits soared that day, more than I ever expected. Funny how I used to hate that overly commercial holiday, but now, it’s starting to mean something to me. Maybe even becoming one of my favorites.”
“Just Valentine’s Day?” Her grin turned cocky, a flicker of challenge in her eyes.
I strode over, slow and deliberate, stopping between her legs. My breath hitched when she didn’t move; she just looked up at me with that knowing smirk.
