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Someone.

Lia.

I told her that I had fallen in love with her, and she couldn’t reciprocate because saying it out loud would have led to nothing. It also led to nothing that I said it. But I couldn’t keep it to myself. I just couldn’t. I had to say it, and she had to hear it.

“Okay. I’m not sad either,” Olivia says, and I can’t help but smile.

“That’s good. Are you tired?” I ask, forcing myself to push any thoughts of Lia aside. I have to stop thinking about her all the time.

“No.” Olivia shakes her head demonstratively but at the same time rubs her eyes and suppresses a yawn.

“Really?” I raise an eyebrow in surprise.

She hesitates briefly, then returns my gaze in a way that is a little too calculating for a four-year-old and reminds me very much of Isabel. “Yes. But you should keep reading.”

“I can do that. Should I keep reading until you fall asleep?”

“Yes. Please.” With a quiet sigh, she snuggles deeper into her pillow and nestles up against me. Tears start to fill my eyes. She’s so small and trusting, and I don’t really deserve her trust or the fact that she has taken me into her heart so quickly. Since we first met after her ballet class, we’ve seen each other every day, sometimes only for half an hour, but it’s better than nothing.

I take every minute I can get with her, every minute Brittany and Clark allow me.

“Okay,” I say, and then I continue reading until her body next to me becomes heavy and her breaths long and calm. I sit there looking at my daughter while she falls asleep and swear to myself that I will never leave her alone again.

* * *

“Is she asleep?” Brittany asks when I come downstairs.

She’s already halfway up, ready to take my place at Olivia’s side in case of an emergency. She must have heard my footsteps on the stairs.

“Yes. She fell asleep twenty minutes ago.” I stand in the doorway while Clark gently but firmly pushes his wife back onto the sofa and gives her a reassuring look.

“Did everything go well?” She can’t suppress the concern in her voice, even though she tries very hard.

I nod, giving her a small smile. “She resisted falling asleep at first, but then it caught up with her pretty quickly.”

“Just as usual then,” she says with relief.

“Yes,” I reply, even though I have no idea what’s usual. It was the first time I put Olivia to bed. But I guess I’ll find out eventually. “So . . . will I see you tomorrow?”

“If you want, you can pick Olivia up from dance class,” Brittany suggests, and my smile widens.

“Sure. Half past four, right?” I ask, even though I know exactly when her class ends.

“Exactly. Can you make it?”

“Yes, I think we should be done with rehearsals by then. Although . . .” I pause as something occurs to me. Damn. “We’re starting stage rehearsals tomorrow, so it might take a little longer. But I’ll talk to the others and figure something out.”

“Just tell us when you know,” Clark says.

“If you can’t make it in time, we’ll pick her up. It’s no problem at all.”

“I know, but I’ll make it.”

“Phoenix.” Clark stands up and comes over to me. He puts his hand on my shoulder, warm and firm. “You don’t have to do everything all at once.” He looks at me meaningfully, and I feel the blood rush to my cheeks.

“I know, but—”

“No buts,” he interrupts me kindly. “One thing at a time.”