“I only speak the truth, Kaden. You’re incredible with Zac, and he’s not even your child. I’ve never seen him so free, so himself, without having to fight for attention. The connection he has with you is instant, and it’s a rare, wonderful thing to witness.”
“All I see is a great kid who is smart, talented and funny—raised by a mother who is not only strong and loving, but would tear the whole world apart for him if she had to. If you think I’d make a good dad, then you...are an extraordinary mother, doing the best you can for you and your child despite the terrible hand you were dealt. You are a fighter, Hope. And I admire you for that.”
When our gazes finally meet minutes later, a lone tear escapes from behind her sunglasses and down her cheek. I lift my hand, softly wiping it away with my thumb.
“I hope these are happy tears,” I whisper softly to her.
I can see her eyes close, as she soaks in the warmth of my touch, the pad of my thumb gently massaging her cheek.
For a second, I have an urge to pull her into my lap, and feel her warmth against me. But I hold myself back. The truth about my past the only thing standing in the way.
When her eyes open, locking with mine once again, it’s as if an electric current ignites between us, sparking heat and something else I’m not ready to name. The feeling lasts for what feels like hours, only shattering when we hear Zac’s thundering footsteps approach.
She pulls back and quickly rises. I follow soon after, already resenting the pang of loss. Zac tells his mother he’s gettinghungry and tired, so we decide to call it a day and head back to our cars. I receive hugs from the both of them, Hope’s lingering just a beat longer than Zac’s.
When we’ve said our goodbyes and made a promise to do this again, I’m back on the road, heading towards home.
If it wasn’t clear before, it certainly is now—I’m definitely falling for Hope. And I know she’s feeling something for me too.
Whenever I’m with her, everything else fades into the background; all that matters is the present. Hell, even that unexpected encounter with my ex-wife just hours earlier is already forgotten.
You have to tell her. She needs to know the truth.
The same relentless voice that cling to the back of my mind, like thick, suffocating smoke returns—always after I’ve just spent the day with Hope and Zac.
Tell her the truth, Kaden.
Tell her, before it’s too late.
Chapter 30
Kaden
Hope saunters towards my car, looking like a dream I never want to wake from. She wears a pastel-green maxi dress that cling to her small waist and round hips, and makes her long, fiery hair glow even brighter against the darkness of night. Every step she takes radiates strength and confidence, her spine straight, chin lifted, never a hint of slouching.
I can’t help the smile spreading across my face as she slides into the passenger seat, closing the door with gentle care, mindful of how new the car still is.
“Thanks for picking me up,” she says, fastening her seatbelt and giving it a small tug to make sure it’s clicked in securely.
“Of course. I did ask you to join me tonight, so it was only gentlemanly of me to do so.”
We’re on our way to Gemma and Chris’ housewarming, my first social gathering in two years, and with a woman by my side, no less. I’m nervous about how the evening will go,particularly since this is the first time my friends, apart from Jason, will meet Hope.
When I called her two nights ago, after a week of back-and-forth texting, I asked casually what she had planned for the weekend. As soon as she mentioned that Zac would be with his dad and she’d be spending the time alone, drinking wine in front of the TV, I didn’t hesitate. The opportunity was too perfect—not to ask her out, exactly, but to invite her to Gemma and Chris’ housewarming.
She was reluctant at first, saying it had been so long since she’d been to a party that she’d probably be a little rusty around people. I normally would’ve just left it at that, but I couldn’t bear to have her spend the weekend alone.
Eventually, I wore her down, assuring her that she deserved at least one evening to truly enjoy herself, after spending so long putting others first. A night to socialise, have a few drinks, and let her hair down, without worrying about anything. And she could do it all in good company.
She accepted the invitation, and now, here we are, heading to our first social outing together.
“So, what are Gemma and Chris like?” Hope asks as I pull out of her driveway and onto the street.
“They’re very easy-going. Funny thing is, I can’t think of any other two people who suit each other better than they do. They’re so alike, with so much in common, it’s almost scary.”
“How so?”
“Gem and Chris are the no-nonsense kind—straightforward, pretty cruisy, but also a little wild and free-spirited. They’renot usually interested in drama. I’m pretty sure they’re allergic to it.”
