There’s plenty of time for me to make a comeback.
She’s an absolute angel, of course, and Griffin is a man obsessed. She wants to be held all the time, and he caters to her every whim. I can feel myself slipping a little deeper every day, and I’ve stopped resisting the pull. If love were a choice, I’d choose Griffin Hayes in a heartbeat.
Having my parents around to help out has been an absolute dream. Mom keeps the house clean, Dad cooks for us, and every morning, they fight over who gets to hold Jessie first. Inthe end, Dad always gives Mom the win—it’s been like that my whole life.
Griffin’s deep timbre drifts out of the nursery and into the hallway. I follow the sound, careful not to draw their attention away from whatever they’re doing. When the nursery comes into view, I pause in the doorway, my breath caught in my throat.
He’s lying on the floor with Jessie, staring up at the cloudy ceiling and pointing out all of the shapes he had hidden there. She’s happy as a clam as she grabs a fistful of his hair, oblivious to his steadfast devotion. In his eyes, she can do no wrong. He’s been wrapped around her tiny fist from the moment she was born—maybe even longer. She’ll grow up loved beyond reason, like I was. I couldn’t ask for more than that.
Quiet footsteps approach from the opposite end of the hallway, and my dad comes into view—the man who taught me about love before I knew what the word meant. He pulls me in for one of his big bear hugs.
Dad’s hugs have always been an anchor in a storm—the cure for every affliction. As I grew taller, he stayed the same, but he’s quick to remind me that I’ll always be his little girl, even if I have two inches on him.
He still smells the same, like home and all of my fondest memories wrapped up in one. I missed this, but I’d never begrudge them their happiness. They belong in Europe.
I glance into the nursery and smile. If I ever had any doubts, I know now that I belong right here.
“What are we looking at?” Dad asks, peering into the nursery. He crosses his arms over his chest. “Ah. A father in love. I know it well.”
He captures my cheek in his palm. “You were that little once, stella mia. Ages ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Now you’re all grown up.” His chin quivers. I had hoped that I’d get to walk you down the aisle someday.”
“I know, but we have other memories to look forward to.”
“Are you finally going to make the trip across the ocean?” he asks.
“Soon. When Jessie’s a bit older. I don’t want to wait too long, though. I’ve already wasted years of my life on maybe somedays.”
He rests his head against mine. “I’m proud of you, you know. I don’t say it enough.”
“You say it plenty, but it’s always nice to be reminded.”
He nods toward the nursery and the scene playing out within its walls. “It takes a strong man to love another man’s child as if she were his own. A strong man with unconditional love for her mother.”
“It’s not like that.”
“If you can’t see it, maybe you aren’t as smart as I thought you were,” he teases. “He loved you first, and her by extension. Because she is part of you. Not the other way around.”
Maybe he’s right, but I won’t pin my hopes on his word alone. I know Griffin cares for me. He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t, but love is more than that. It carries more weight than I know what to do with.
He pats my cheek. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go find your mother and kiss her senseless.”
I smile at his retreating back. “How did you know? That Mom was the one, I mean.”
He stops in his tracks and turns to face me. “She told me so, and that was that. I never had a choice, but if I did, I’d choose her every time. I still choose her every day of my life and will continue to do so every day until the last.”
Dad leaves, and I stay in the same spot for a while longer, enjoying the view. Griffin is handsome on a good day, but watching him with our daughter only makes him infinitely more attractive to me. It’s a real problem given that I’m unable to act on the attraction for at least a few more weeks.
For all the grumbling I did when I was pregnant, I almost miss it—not the sickness or the body aches, but the knowledge that I could protect her from the world and all of the harm it can bring. Motherhood is beautiful and terrifying in equal measure.
No longer content to stand on the sidelines, I stride into the nursery and lie on my back on the opposite side of Jessie.
Griffin smiles at me over her head. “Hey, Mama. How was your nap?”
I thought I melted when he called me Angel, but there’s something about this new nickname that makes my stomach flip. His gaze turns molten, and I briefly wonder if he can see the desire written on my face. This is not the time or the place.
I cross one foot over the other, clearing my throat. “Good, but I missed her. It’s like I can’t truly rest if she’s not nearby.”
“Lift your head.”
