I let that sit for a second. “I keep running through what I’ll say to Evie,” I admit. “Do I tell her it’s pretend? Or do I just…make it sound simple? I don’t want to lie to her.”
Knox’s voice softens. “You’ve got a good heart, man. Trust it. Let Kate lead and make sure that Evie knows you care about her and her mom. Everything else will fall into place.”
For a second, neither of us says anything. The quiet stretches, comfortable. Then Knox clears his throat. “You’re in deep now, you know that right?”
I don’t even hesitate. “Yeah. I do.” There’s something solid in admitting it out loud.
His voice is warm with humor. “Brynn’s gonna lose her damn mind when she hears you’re ‘officially seeing’ Kate Prescott. And Haddie Carmichael’s probably printing ‘Cedar Falls’ Sweethearts’ mugs as we speak.”
I groan. “Great. Exactly what I need.”
He laughs. “Hey, every small-town love story starts with a little gossip.”
I smile despite myself, toeing the baseball at my feet. “Yeah, I guess it does.”
Knox’s tone gentles again. “You’ll be fine, man. You’re doing the right thing.”
I stare out at the empty field, the late sun glinting off the bleachers, and finally say what’s been sitting in my chest since this all started.
“I just want her to realize she doesn’t have to do it all on her own anymore,” I say quietly. “I want to be the man who steps up.”
There’s silence on the line, then Knox’s steady reply. “Then be that man, Wells. Every damn day until she believes you.”
Chapter twenty-one
Kate
The smell of meatloaf fills the kitchen—comforting, homey, and just slightly singed around the edges. Which feels fitting, because that’s exactly how I’m holding it together right now: mostly fine, with a few crispy spots.
Evie’s perched on a chair at the table, humming as she colors while I move between the oven and the counter, checking the potatoes for the third time. My nerves are doing laps around the room.
He’s not even late. I’m just panicking early.
I’ve thought about Cam’s marriage proposal over and over again in my mind, and I can’t produce a cons list longer than anypros list I put together. The only thing that leaves me apprehensive is how Evie will handle it all.
How do you explain to your four-year-old that Mommy’s going to marry her T-ball coach for legal reasons? There’s no chapter in the parenting manual for that.
“Mommy?”
I blink. “Hmm?”
“Why do you keep staring at the oven?”
I set down the spoon. “Just making sure it doesn’t burn.”
She squints at me, unconvinced. “You’re acting weird again.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
She goes back to coloring, tongue poking out as she focuses. The sight softens my nerves. She has no idea how hard I’m trying to keep the world steady under her little feet.
I remind myself that this is strategic. Not a date.
Evie suddenly gasps, crayon frozen midair. “Mommy! Why are you making the fancy dinner?”
“It’s meatloaf,” I say. “That’s not fancy.”
“It has ketchup on top.”
