The fact that Chase is trying is more than I could have asked for. Given everything I took from him, how can I say no?

“Yes, I’ll go to Italy with you.”

“Great.” He turns to leave when I stop him.

“You do realize we have to get a passport for Violet.” I’ve already read up on it. “If we expedite it, we can possibly get it in less than a week. But it could take up to two. Can you wait to go back? Just to be sure things go okay?”

His perfect lips flatten. “I would stay, but I can’t. I have a contract to fulfill.”

“Can you at least stay to get her passport? Otherwise, even you can’t get her there. There’s one other thing.” I hesitate. “I can’t just leave my job if I ever want to come back or get a reference. I need to give notice.”

Although his anger isn’t at the surface, the distance between us is palpable. In his eyes, I can see the mistrust is still there.

“I can stay another day or two in Chicago when we get back to take care of the passport. Maybe my mom and yours can come along. Once you get Violet’s passport, our moms can fly Violet over and you can come when you can.”

I swallow my protest and nod stiffly because it’s only fair to him.

“Good,” is his one-word answer. “I’d also like to be added to her birth certificate as her father.”

“You have to know I would’ve done it, if I could have. It wasn’t possible without your signature. But it’s a simple matter of you filling out a form, and then having my name dropped from hers.”

“Thank you, Andi.”

When he leaves, I let my forced smile drop. I wait thirty seconds before exiting the room to find my daughter. She’s with the granddads chattering away. It feels so good to see her with them.

It’s not long before Violet notices that Cassie and Fletcher have a swing.

“Mama, swing.”

Though it’s nippy out, I give in and take her out there for about ten minutes before tempting her to come back inside to get some more hot cocoa.

Later when my brother starts watching videos with her, I duck upstairs to the room Cassidy assigned to me. Mom finds me staring at my lap. She walks in and closes the door behind her.

“I thought we could talk.”

It had been too good to be true to think that Mom had been okay with everything. I knot my hands on my lap when she sits next to me.

“You know I love you no matter what.” I nod silently. She takes my hand in hers. “But the truth is, I’m really hurt. Dad is too. We just want to understand why you thought you couldn’t talk to me or your dad about this.”

“It wouldn’t have been fair to tell you and not Chase,” I reiterate.

“I get that. But what about when you found out you were pregnant? It’s upsetting to think that you felt you had to go through that decision alone.”

It guts me inside knowing how badly I’ve hurt her. It hadn’t been my intention.

“I was afraid to disappoint you and Dad. Mark always did everything right. He’s your son.”

Her eyes spark with anger. “You’re as much my daughter as he is my son. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have my DNA. You’re mine. Do you understand that?”

Although Mom is gentle by nature, she can be fierce when she needs to be.

“I do. And you and Dad are my parents. I feel awful that I’ve messed everything up.”

She strokes a hand down the back of my head before pulling me in a fierce hug. “We forgive you.”

“Not Mark.”

“He’ll come around.” She smiles. “Just don’t do it again.”

My smile is filled with pain.

“I won’t. I promise.”

“I have to say this again. She’s so beautiful. I’m in love with being a grandmother. I’ve missed kids in the house. I can’t wait to spoil her.” We embrace again before she gets to her feet. “Now I should go check on your father. The food should be ready.”

“I’m not very hungry.”

Mom knows why I’m hiding up in the room and doesn’t call me on it.

“You take some time. There’s plenty of food.”

After she leaves, I start to unpack, giving myself something to do. Then I shrug on a sweater and leave the room. Noise comes from the kitchen where everyone is congregated. I bypass that and go for the front door. It’s gotten colder, but I need a walk. I don’t get far. At the sidewalk, a cruiser comes to a stop.

“Andi? Is that you?”

I give a small wave. “It’s me, Ray.”

He gets out wearing the full cop uniform, takes off his hat, and embraces me. “It’s been a while. I didn’t know you were back in town.”

“Just visiting,” I admit.

His eyes drift over me even though I’m covered head to toe. “You’re looking good.”

Ray had a crush on me in school. I’d never given him the time of day because my heart had been set on Chase.

He didn’t have a shaved head then, but he hasn’t changed much beyond that.

“You look good too.”

He points to the house.

“Fletcher and Cassidy did really good with this place.”

“They did.”

“If you are staying awhile, you should come by for dinner.”

I hadn’t heard his approach. So when the hand lands on my shoulder, I jump.

“We won’t be in town long.”

Glancing up, I see Chase staring daggers at Ray. As much as I want to believe it’s some show of possession over me, the two guys have hated each other for as long as I remember.

“Chase Wilde,” Ray says, not at all sounding surprised to see him next to me.

“Ray Todd.”

“I’d heard you were in town, but left.”

“I’m back.”

“Too bad.” Ray turns his attention back to me. “Andi, you’re welcome to come over for dinner. I married Marla, and she’d be pissed if I didn’t give you an invite.” I nod. “Well, it was good seeing you.”

He puts his hat back on, tipping his head at me before getting back in his cruiser and driving away.

“Checking on me to make sure I haven’t flown the coop?” I say, with a little bitterness in my tone.

“No, Violet’s asking for you. When I couldn’t find you, I checked outside.”

“Is she okay?” I ask, losing all bravado in favor of panic.

“She’s fine. She just wants her mom. I think she’s tired.”

I head for the front door. “I’m sure she’s ready for a nap, but too excited.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

When I find her, she’s fighting sleep.

“Hey, my darling girl, why don’t we get a nap?” She shakes her head. “It’s okay,” I whisper in her ear. “Everyone will be here when you wake up.”

Even with a nap, by the time my parents and his leave, Violet is wiped out. Chase offers to take her up to bed. After I shower and do my nighttime rituals, I find them curled up asleep together in his designated room. It’s so cute, I snap another picture of them before heading downstairs where I find Cassidy in the kitchen with the baby.

“Sorry, I thought everyone had gone to bed,” I say.

“It’s okay. The baby is restless.” She paces the floor, rocking her arms. “Besides, we are practically sisters-in-law.”

“Not quite. Chase and I aren’t together and never will be.”

“Pfft. I saw the way he left here to go to Chicago to find you.”

I’d heard that before from his mouth.

“Even if that were true, it isn’t like that for him anymore.”

“And you?”

As much as I want to dodge the truth, I’ve done enough of that for a lifetime. “I’ll always love him. But it’s time for me to let go of the idea of an us.”

“Don’t give up on him. I gave up on Fletcher and married a useless asshole because I needed something or someone to help me move on. In the end, it’s always been Fletcher for me.”

“Everyone saw that,” I joke. “It’s different for me. We might have had a chance. But the way Chase looks at me now, you’d tell me yourself to move on.”

A sound and smell that should only come from an adult wafts over from the baby.

“Oops, I guess I’ve got to go change my kiddo,” she says.

We say our goodnights. The rest of the time goes by fast. When it’s time to head back to Chicago, I realize how short our time was and am grateful when our moms come with us.

With so many helping hands the next few days, I finally get some great uninterrupted sleep. The lot of us goes to the main passport office in Chicago to apply for Violet’s passport. Where I’d been solitary, I’m constantly surrounded by people. It’s all happening so fast, something I haven’t told Chase. With the buffer of my mom and his, we barely speak to each other. He doesn’t know of my growing panic, not that he’d care.

“I’ve sorted out the clothes that are too small for her. What do you want me to do next?” Mom asks.

Denise is in the living room with Violet as I make lunch for all of us.

“Pack what’s left. There’s no point in leaving any of it, as she’ll probably grow out of it while we’re there.”

Mom agrees when a knock sounds.

“It’s probably Chase,” I say.

He’s leaving for Italy today and had left for the hotel to pack up. Only it’s not him. Owen stands on the other side of the door.

“Hey, I wondered if Holly could hang out here. I need to make a quick grocery run.”

“Yeah, sure,” I say, opening the door wider, and Holly darts in. Immediately, she and Violet start dancing around together.

Denise and my mom stare at Owen. So I wave him inside and make introductions.

“Denise and Mom, this is my neighbor, Owen, and his daughter, Holly. Owen, this is my mom, Pamela, and Chase’s mom, Denise.”

“Very nice to meet you,” Owen says.

“Nice to meet you too,” Mom says before arching an eyebrow in my direction. I discreetly shake my head. Still, the awkwardness grows.

“Owen is running out,” I say. “Holly is going to hang with us. Has she eaten?”

He nods. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

“Sure.”

I lead him out in the hall and beat him to the punch.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called. It’s been a little crazy.”

His eyes search mine.

“You have a deer in headlights look.”

I want to sag in relief that someone notices and cares.

“Yeah, it’s great to have help, but it feels like everything is happening so fast.”

He nods. “Should I take Denise being here to mean that you and Chase have worked everything out?”

I blow out a breath. “No. That ship has sailed.”

“Good.”

Then before I know what he’s doing, his lips are on mine. Gently, I push him back.

“Owen …”

“I can’t have you leaving and not knowing what could be.”

He’s still so close. A part of me wants to wrap myself in his arms, just to feel steady. The other part yearns for Chase even as futile as that is. He rests his forehead against mine.

I bite my lip before speaking. “I can’t ask you to wait for me. My heart is still …”

Rapid footsteps sound on the stairs as if the person is taking them two at a time. Owen takes his time stepping back, not caring who it might be.

His eyes hold mine before taking a step back. “I’ll pick up Holly later.”

I nod and stare at my nails because the steps stop nearby. I’m not yet ready to see Chase’s face. Finally, I glance up and find his penetrating gaze on me.

“It’s not what you think.”

He shrugs. “It’s not really any of my business,” he says before he enters the apartment.

I brush a hand through my hair, already used to his rejection, and follow in behind him. Violet’s gibbering away to Holly doing her version of introductions. I go back to finishing up lunch. When I offer Chase some, he declines.

“I really need to head out.”

He’s told Violet he’s leaving and she continues to cling to him.

“Dada, no go.”

He scoops her up and I watch as huge tears fall from her eyes.