"And if it doesn't work out?" she asks softly.
"Then at least we tried," I say. "At least we gave it a chance instead of walking away because we were scared."
She reaches up and touches my face, her palm warm against my cheek. "I'm terrified."
"Me too," I admit. "But I would rather be terrified with you than safe without you."
The words hang between us, heavy and true.
Before either of us can say anything else, Maddie comes running out of the bounce house, breathless and laughing.
"Daddy! Piper! Did you see me do a flip?"
"I saw," I say, ruffling her hair. "Very impressive."
"Can we get ice cream now?" she asks hopefully.
I glance at Piper, who smiles. "Ice cream sounds perfect."
We leave the fair and walk to the small ice cream shop on Main Street. Maddie orders a cone with three scoops that istaller than her head, and Piper and I share a knowing look as we watch her try to eat it without making a complete mess.
She fails spectacularly, and by the time we are done, she has chocolate ice cream on her nose, her chin, and somehow in her hair.
"Bath time when we get home," I say, wiping her face with a napkin.
"But I don't want a bath," she whines.
"Non-negotiable, bug."
She pouts, but it's half-hearted. She is too happy to really complain.
As we walk back to the car, Maddie reaches up and takes both our hands, swinging between us like we are a unit. Like we are a family.
The realization hits me hard. This is what I've been missing, not just a partner, but someone who fits into our lives so seamlessly that it feels like they were always meant to be there.
When we reach the parking lot, Piper hesitates before getting into her own car.
"Thank you for inviting me today," she says. "I had a really good time."
"Thank you for coming," I reply. "It meant a lot. To both of us."
She smiles, and there is something soft and hopeful in her expression. "Dylan, about what you said earlier."
"Yeah?"
"I want to try," she says quietly. "I want to see where this goes."
Relief floods through me, so strong it nearly buckles my knees. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," she says. "I'm still scared, but I think you might be worth the risk."
I step closer. "I promise I'll do everything I can to make sure you don't regret it."
"I know," she whispers.
I lean down slowly, giving her time to pull away if she wants to, but she doesn't pull away. Instead, she rises on her toes and closes the distance between us.
The kiss is soft and sweet and feels like a beginning.
