His non-reply is evidence he isn’t impressed with the lengths I went through to make sure Violet knows who her family is even if none of them know about her.

“Excuse me,” I say, walking away. “I need to have someone cover my shift.”

“Why?”

I stop and turn around. With Violet staring at me, I force a sweet smile, but it’s easy for Chase to see it’s an artificial one.

“I need to stay home with Violet. She isn’t feeling well.”

“I can stay with her.”

The embers of an argument kindle in my throat.

“I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that.”

“You don’t have to. I’m her father.” His smile is even more plastic than mine. “You can tell me what to do and we’ll be fine.”

The idea of leaving her makes me faintly ill. I’ve always been there for her when she isn’t well. She burrows her head in the crook of his neck with her eyes still on me.

“Dada stay.”

How can I say no to that?

“Okay,” I croak, turning away. It feels like I’m already losing her. The way she clings to him, it’s as if she wants him more than me. Isn’t this what I’ve wanted—to be happy with having them united as father and daughter? But it hurts like hell that maybe she would be fine going to Italy without me.

When I find some paper, I channel my frustration into writing notes for Chase about when and if he should give her more Tylenol. I also leave Owen’s cell phone number at the bottom.

Later, when it’s time for me to go, I plead with him to call me if her fever spikes.

“I’ll come home right away,” I add.

By the time I get to work, I consider asking one of my doctor friends to prescribe me some anti-anxiety medication to ease my frayed nerves.

“What’s going on?” Beth asks.

It feels like days since our Doc McDreamy conversation. For once, I really need a friend. The time for secrets has passed.

“Chase,” I say by way of explanation.

“The guy from the emergency room the other night?” I silently agree. “He’s hot.”

“He’s Violet’s father,” I blurt.

Her jaw drops.

“It’s a long story, but he’s threatened to take her from me.”

“What an asshole,” she says in true friend solidarity.

I shake my head. “He’s not. It’s complicated. But I have to talk to Peggy about getting time off.”

She hugs me. “I won’t ask why right now. But know that my brother’s best friend’s sister is a lawyer if you need one.”

“Thanks. I’ll let you know. We’re trying to work this out outside of court.” I spot Peggy. “I have to go.”

She points at me. “We are so talking about this later. I want the whole story.”

Later, on the way home, I’m grateful I found someone who can take my shift the next day. The problem will be giving a notice if I decide to just quit, as Chase seems to think I can. If I have a prayer at ever coming back to work here in the future or getting a decent reference, I will have to stay at least two weeks. Will Chase give me that time? Or will he demand to take Violet and have me join them later?

Lost in my thoughts, I run smack into Owen.

“Andi.”

The man has the kindest face, one just as beautiful as the man on the inside.

“Sorry.”

I take a step back, feeling for the first time like we are strangers. He tips my chin up so I can stare into his earnest eyes.

“Is everything okay?”

They don’t make men like him anymore.

“No. But I’ll get through it.”

“I don’t want to pry, but is it true? Did Chase not know he was a father?” I nod. “Wow.”

“Owen, please don’t judge. I didn’t do it to hurt him. As crummy as this sounds, I thought I was helping.”

“I guess I can’t blame him for being pissed off at me, then.”

“And me too. He’s threatening to take Violet from me.”

“Shit.” The man doesn’t curse often.

I shake my head. “I should have expected it, right? Worse, he has all the resources in the world to do it.”

“I can help you. I get he’s pissed, but it’s not a reason enough for you to lose your daughter. I couldn’t live without Holly.”

“Why would you do that? Don’t you think I’m a bad mother too?”

A smile grows on his face.

“Andi, I don’t know your reasons for keeping him from her, but I trust and admire you. You have to know how much I care about you too. Our lives are already so entwined, I’d hoped—”

“Don’t.” I can’t possibly bear to hear the words and have even more guilt on my conscience. “The only choice he’s given me to keep her is to move to Italy with him.”

“So you can be together,” he says resolutely.

I let out a bitter laugh. “No. But he’ll let me live in his house so we can share our daughter.”

“And that’s it.”

“For us, yes. But he says we can come back when his season is over.”

“Season? Wait. What’s his last name?”

I doubt he would know, so I say, “He’s Chase Wilde. He plays soccer in Italy.”

“He’s The Chase Wilde. The leading striker in the Italian soccer league and brother of Fletcher Wilde, the top NFL quarterback?” The amazement would be funny if the situation were different. I bob my head. He blinks.

“That Chase Wilde has more money than I can dream of to take Violet away if I don’t concede to his demands. That Chase Wilde who wants nothing to do with me.”

“He’s a fool, which works in my favor. Once you get back, maybe you and I …”

Why couldn’t my heart accept this man?

“Owen, you’re a really great guy. But I don’t want you waiting on me. Even though Chase has written me off, the truth is, I’m still in love with him.”

Hope doesn’t leave his expression. “I’ll see you when you get back, and we can talk about it then.”

My apartment door opens just as Owen leans in for a hug. All I can think about is the building’s paper-thin walls. How much of our conversation has Chase heard?

Chase doesn’t speak when I step inside. I go directly to Violet’s room to check on her. She’s not warm, but I leave, closing the door to let her sleep. Chase is waiting for me.

“How was she last night?” I ask.

The distance he keeps between us is palpable.

“Everything was fine. I didn’t have any problems or have to give her any medicine.” He holds up a hand. “I checked her temperature every hour with that scanner you left.” It is a machine that you swipe over the forehead to get a reading.

“You didn’t have to do it every hour.” No wonder he looks tired.

After two-plus years of not being able to touch him, I ache to brush my fingers over the shadow that covers his chin. He’s damn sexy with stubble on his face. But that isn’t possible, so I dive into the next topic.

“I got the next two days off. So we have through the weekend to go to Waynesville.”

“Good. I’ll go back to my place and square things away. We can leave first thing in the morning.”

I’m not sure he’ll get why I say it, but I do anyway. “Thank you.”

He barely tips his head at me and he’s gone. The next time I see him, we’re on the plane headed home.

I’d spent the previous day with Violet. Thankfully, her fever hadn’t returned. Owen had come over for lunch with Holly. Things have been different between us. Oh, how one little act has such wide-ranging consequences.

“Dada. Color.” Violet runs to Chase when she spots him on the small plane.

I’m left to sit alone on the flight. No matter how I play it in my head, I have no words to say to my family and his. They already know something’s up. Chase had Fletcher gather everyone at his house.

Violet has definitely recovered. She continues to chatter nonstop during the car ride. Chase has rented an SUV, probably more for me because I’m sure his brother offered to pick us up.

As the scenery goes by, everything is different and the same when we arrive in Waynesville. The town is the same with a few new shops along the way. Fletcher’s robin’s egg blue house is trimmed in white and looks like a modern-day farmhouse. When I get out of the car, I just stare at how beautiful the place is. I’m reminded of how much I’ve missed home.

“I’ll go in and give you a minute.”

I nod, clutching Violet’s hand and not just because she started after her father. I need her to ground me and remind me why I did what I did.

After a deep breath, I walk up the steps and through the front door. Chase hasn’t softened the blow, considering the gasps that come from our parents. Cassidy, Fletcher’s wife, gives me a sympathetic glance.

“Gamma, Gampa,” Violet says, pointing out my parents. Then her finger lands on Chase’s folks. “Nana, Papa.”

I kneel down to her level and point at my brother. “Yes, and Uncle Mark—” Then I point at Chase’s brother and wife. “And Uncle Fletcher and Aunt Cassidy.”

I get to my feet for the rest. “Everyone, this is our daughter, Violet Chase Wilde …” Chase’s head snaps in my direction. We haven’t talked about her full name, so I add, “James.”

“Andi,” Mom whispers with tears in her eyes.

Cassidy steps forward. “How about I take Violet to get some cookies?” I nod as she holds out a hand to Violet while shifting her baby in her other arm. “Would you like a cookie and some milk?”

Violet glances at me and I give my approval. She takes her hand, and after they leave, all eyes are on me.

“This is why you haven’t come home.” Mark is furious. He points at Chase. “You got my sister pregnant and kept her hidden away?”

I hold up a hand. “Chase didn’t know. I …” I suck in air for purchase. “I didn’t tell him. I thought it was for the best. By the time I realized I was pregnant, he was already in Italy and I had school to finish and a future job in Chicago. I didn’t want him to have to come back here or hold him back. His career was already in full swing by then.”

Thankfully, Chase doesn’t say anything. But my brother isn’t done with his interrogation. I’ve never seen him so mad, considering he’s one of the nicest guys you’d ever meet.

“What other secrets are you keeping? Are the two of you married?”

“No,” Chase is quick to answer. His one word is so final, I have to glance away.

“Andi, I wish you hadn’t thought you needed to keep this from us,” Mom chimes in.

“I …” How I hate defending myself again because I know I’m in the wrong. “I thought if Chase didn’t know, I couldn’t very well tell the rest of you.”

Mom blows out a breath and I’m afraid to look at everyone else’s disappointed faces.

“I for one want to meet my granddaughter. She called me Nana,” Chase’s mom proudly says.

Our parents agree and leave me in the room with three angry guys, though Fletcher doesn’t appear to be as mad at me as the rest.

Mark barrels forward, snagging my hand. “Let’s talk outside.”

Chase doesn’t even give me a second thought before following our parents. Fletcher gives me a half-smile before following his brother. I bite the inside of my cheek and go with Mark willingly.

Tongue-in-cheek, I glance anywhere but my brother’s face.

“I knew something was up. But I never thought … How could you hurt our parents this way?”

I’d been too chicken to meet my father’s eyes.

“I didn’t mean to.”

“You expect me to buy that? Hiding a kid. Mom already thinks that you don’t see us as your real family.”

“What?” I glare at him.

“What do you expect? Since graduating high school, you’ve barely come home. And when you do, you spend most of your time out of the house. Now we know why.”

If he’s slut-shaming me for getting knocked up, I’m not going to take it.

“You either. Hell, when you didn’t have your nose up Gina’s skirt, you were at Fletcher’s. Don’t put this all on me.”

Gina had been his best friend outside of Fletcher, and he’d wanted more. Now she’s getting married to Ryder and he’s with Riley.

“I wasn’t the one Mom was worried about. It was always poor Andi.”

“Mark.” We turn to find Mom heading our way. “Stop it.”

My brother, always the good son, does as asked.

She comes over and wraps me in a hug. “She’s beautiful,” she murmurs in my ear.

That’s when the waterworks start. “I’m sorry, Mom. I love you and Dad. You have to know that. I was wrong. I made a mistake.”

“Shhh,” she says, rubbing my back. “You’re a mom now. You of all people must know your children do no wrong.” She pats my cheek. “I’m sad I wasn’t with you. I always pictured being there.”

I cling to her again. “I’m so sorry.”

When I finally let her go, she shocks me.

“I always saw the two of you together.” My jaw goes slack. “That’s right. That boy has had moon eyes for you for as long as I can remember.”

I ignore the moon comment.

“You knew?”

She gives me an indulgent smile. “Denise and I both knew.”

I can’t help but set the record straight.

“He hates me now.”

“Do you blame him?” Mark interjects.

Mom glares at him, but her expression softens on me. “Give him time. Love like that doesn’t die easy. If I’m right, he came to Chicago looking for you.”

I can’t answer because Chase comes out with Violet in his arms, his mom, Denise, in tow talking with her. When they reach us, his mom says, “Her curls remind me of Chase’s. When he was little and his hair was still sun-kissed, I would let it grow. He had the most beautiful curls.”

When Violet reaches for me, I take her and give her a kiss on the cheek.

I’m grateful it’s not bitter cold as Fletcher, the dads, and Cassie come outside too. Denise continues. “But then Fletcher and Mark got the bright idea to dress Chase up in a skirt.”

Mom laughs. “I remember that.”

“Don’t remind me,” Chase’s dad says.

His mom continues. “When Fletcher introduced his sister to our dinner guest, Henry made me promise to keep Chase’s hair cut.”

Fletcher bellows with laughter. “I got in so much trouble.”

“Me too,” Mark mutters, almost cracking a smile.

Chase glowers, not liking the memory.

“I think I have a picture somewhere,” Denise announces.

“You won’t be showing that to anyone,” Chase says.

His dad pats his shoulder. “I’ve got the grill going. Don’t want lunch spoiled. Are you coming, George?”

My dad nods.

“It’s pretty cold out here. Why don’t we go make hot cocoa, Violet?” Cassie offers. “And, Fletcher, I think someone needs to be changed.”

She hands over the baby. Chase watches his brother take the baby without comment. I take it in, all sad I won’t have that.

“I’m going to check on Dad,” Mark says before stomping off.

“Well,” Chase’s mom says. “I want to say thank you.”

I look around because surely she’s not talking to me.

“Yes, you, Andi.”

“Why would you thank her?” Chase admonishes.

“Because, my dear son, I was a young mother once. I can only imagine the struggle she went through in making her decision.” She holds up a hand to stop him. His jaw snaps shut. “We won’t get into the merits of her choice. The point is, she was alone and decided to bring our granddaughter into the world. And from what I can tell, she did a wonderful job.”

“She kept her from me. You’d think you’d be on my side,” Chase grumbles.

“There are no sides, honey. I believe her when she said she thought she was doing the right thing. I might have done the same if I’d been in her shoes. Granted, I don’t know what happened between the two of you. But Pamela and I knew the two of you were together.” Chase stares at his mother. She shrugs. “Besides, if she planned to keep this a secret forever, why does Violet know who we are?”

“She has a book with our pictures,” he says.

“Exactly. I know this isn’t ideal, but you have to see that she didn’t plan to keep Violet from you.”

“That doesn’t give me the two years I’ve missed back.”

“I have lots of pictures and videos,” I add.

Chase could have killed me with the glare he turns my way.

“Where are you all staying?” Denise asks, continuing to play peacemaker.

I turn to my mother. “I thought Violet and I would stay with you, Mom, if that’s okay?”

Mom eyes Chase a second before saying, “Why don’t you and Chase discuss what’s best for Violet?”

Our moms leave and I bite my lip, taking the hint.

“I’m sorry. She’s right. It’s just going to take a little bit of time to get used to not making decisions on my own.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not sleeping away from my daughter.”

Patience, I tell myself.

“So what, you want her to stay with you at your parents’?”

He holds my stare like that’s the obvious answer.

“My parents deserve time too. Maybe we should stay at a hotel so it’s fair.”

“Fair. Let’s not talk about what’s fair.”

“Fine, Chase. Whatever. We’ll do it your way so you can keep punishing me.”

“Hey.” Cassie suddenly appears with a baby on her hip. Violet isn’t with her. “Okay, Mama Bear—” She meets my eyes. “—your daughter is chatting it up with the granddads. She’s fine.”

“Cassie, could you give us a minute? We are trying to work through something,” Chase says.

“As if the neighbors couldn’t hear,” she admonishes. “I have a solution.”

“And what is that?” Chase snaps.

“You can stay here: neutral ground. Besides, our house is completely baby-proof. We have the room and spare toys that are too old for our baby yet.” She shrugs. “Everyone is spoiling our kiddo. But they would be perfect for my niece.”

Fletcher and Cassie don’t seem to play on the Hate Andi team, so I say, “I’m fine if Chase is.”

I don’t bother to look at him, only wait for his answer.