20. Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Lily
"I'm staying an extra week or two," Dad says as we stroll along the waterfront in Riverfront Park. The gentle breeze carries the scent of the Hudson River as the sunlight reflects on the water.
"Laila and Sam will be here next week," I mention, glancing over at him.
"I spoke to Sam last night," he replies. "They offered to let me stay with them, but I think I'll get a hotel room."
"You can stay with me, Dad," I offer.
He chuckles softly. "I'm tired of cooking for myself anyway. It’s time someone else made my bed and cooked my meals for a change."
I smile at his humor. "Well, let me know if you change your mind."
“By the way, did Davey’s mom find a room in town?" Dad asks. "I tried calling a few places, but everything’s booked.”
“She’s staying at the Holiday Inn,” I reply, already reaching for my phone. “I’ll text you the link to their website.”
“What’s she like?” Dad asks, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.
“Marian?” I reply, a little taken aback by his sudden interest.
He shrugs, grinning. “I’m curious. Davey’s an incredible kid—smart, creative, intuitive. He can’t possibly get all that from your Romeo.”
“Noah, Dad. His name is Noah,” I correct with a sigh.
He chuckles. “I know, Mija. I’m just teasing.”
“Anyway, Marian is tall, sophisticated, and strikingly beautiful. She’s a bit older than Noah, but you’d never guess it. She looks amazing.”
“Well, I guess I’ll just have to meet this Marian,” he teases, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
“Dad, don’t get any ideas. No jokes, no comments, not even a thought about it. I mean it.”
“First Lisa, now Marian?” he says, raising an eyebrow with mock frustration. “How’s a man supposed to have any fun around here? I’m on vacation, after all!”
“Dad!” I exclaim, laughing despite myself. “You're insufferable!”
***
After Dad drops me off, I shower and slip into a sleeveless knit top and shorts. At the house, I order our usual pizza and settle at my laptop in Noah's office, eager to prepare for the big day while I wait for the delivery. I meticulously review the registration form one last time, making sure everything is perfect before uploading it to our online platform. When I click the 'load' button, a rush of exhilaration floods over me. This moment marks the official launch of Clay Play Daycare , and my heart races with anticipation for the new adventure that lies ahead. Finally, I print a hard copy of the enrollment form to share with Noah.
When the doorbell rings, I grab the form and rush to the front door, placing it on the console table before digging into my purse for some cash. I smile and swing open the door, only to be met by a piercing hazel gaze burning with unmistakable hatred.
"Hi, Marian," I say, forcing a calm, cordial tone into my voice. "Noah and Davey aren’t home yet."
"Then what are you doing here?" she asks, brushing past me into the foyer, her eyes narrowing with open disdain.
Gripping the door handle, I weigh my options on how to handle this woman. One thing is certain—I won’t cower. Instead, I decide to give her a taste of her own attitude. With a steady hand, I shut the door and turn to face her, ready to meet her head-on with a little attitude of my own.
"Haven't you heard?" I reply, smiling sweetly. "I'm Noah's fiancée. I live here."
"No, Sweetheart ," she says, her voice thick with sarcasm. "My husband and my son live here. You might wish this was yours, but it isn't."
"You’re right," I concede, my voice steady. "This isn’t mine. But you know what is? Noah’s heart. He loves me."
She responds with a harsh, guttural laugh that reverberates through the empty house, filling every corner with its cold, mocking resonance.
"Ah, you're so young and innocent," she says. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."
"Neither do you," I retort, meeting her challenge head-on. "Here’s the deal: I’m willing to extend you a level of respect you haven’t earned because you’re Davey’s mother. So, I’m not going to throw you out. Instead, I’m going to politely ask you to leave."
Just then, the doorbell rings, signaling the arrival of our pizza. Holding the money in hand, I open the door and hand it to the delivery guy, who passes me the large pizza box. "Thank you," I say, leaving the door ajar as he walks away. I glance at Marian, giving her a forced smile and silently urging her to take the hint and leave. But she remains rooted in place, unfazed.
“Do I need to remind you that you’re no longer married to Noah?” I finally say, my voice firm. “You divorced him, and you left your son. Now they’re here, surrounded by family and friends. I know you’ll always be Davey’s mom, and I know you love him, but I’m going to marry Noah. I’ll be part of Davey’s life, whether you like it or not. I hope we can find common ground and learn to be civil for his sake.”
“Well, how diplomatic,” she retorts, her gaze narrowing as the tension between us thickens.
“I’m going to put this pizza in the kitchen,” I say. “I hope you’re gone by the time I return, but if you insist on staying, you can wait in the living room. It’s up to you.”
As I start to walk away, she steps closer, trying to stare me down. I hold her gaze, unflinching. “By the time I’m done with you,” she says, her voice low and threatening, “you're going to wish you had never met Noah.”
I tilt my chin up in defiance and walk away without giving her a backward glance. Once in the kitchen, I set the pizza on the table and take a few deep breaths, bracing myself against the counter to steady my nerves. I listen and wait until the front door slams shut, marking Marian's departure with a final, resonant thud.
***
I put on a brave face when Noah and Davey walk through the door. "Hi, you two!" I call out, feeling my heart lift as Davey runs into my arms for a hug and kiss. His joy is contagious, but it's Noah's steady gaze that sends warmth through me, the way he looks at me with unmistakable attraction. I smile, holding Davey close for a moment before setting him down, and then I wrap my arms around Noah, closing my eyes as I breathe in his familiar scent, savoring the closeness I feel every time I'm in his arms.
"How was lunch with your dad?" he asks, releasing me from his embrace.
"It was good," I reply. "We took a long walk afterward. He mentioned he’s staying a bit longer."
"Good," he says. "I’m looking forward to getting to know my future father-in-law."
His words warm my heart, and I smile. "The pizza is still warm. Are you two hungry?"
"Hmm, pizza!" Davey cheers, heading straight for the box.
"Should I make a salad?" I ask.
"I think the pizza’s enough," Noah replies. "We had a big lunch."
During dinner, Davey shares every detail about his day spent with his cousins. His laughter is infectious, and Noah and I can’t help but smile as he describes everything in vivid detail, his eyes bright with joy. Noah and I can’t help but share a smile as we listen, each story more animated than the last.
***
Davey is in the bathroom brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed when I hear Noah walk into the room. "The dishes are done and the leftover pizza is put away," he says as he walks up to me and wraps his arms around me.
"How was it seeing everyone again?" I ask, wanting to hear all about it.
"It was incredible," he says, his face lighting up. "The kids welcomed Davey like they've known him forever."
"That's great," I say, smiling. "I knew they'd love him."
"What I experienced today is exactly why I came back," he says. "I want Davey to have close relationships with everyone in the family. They'll grow up together, like siblings."
A pang of something sharp twists inside me, but I smile anyway. "He fits right in, smack in the middle of the age range. He’ll never be short of someone to play with."
"Lily," he begins, his brown gaze locking on mine, "I can read you like a book, Sweetheart. You never have to pretend with me."
"It hurts," I admit softly. "The thought of not being able to give Davey a brother or sister hurts."
"When the time comes for us to think about more children, we'll consult the best specialists to make it happen."
"Make it happen," I laugh lightly. "You make it sound like we'd be negotiating a book deal."
"Creating a life with you would be a dream come true," he whispers. "But what we have together is already a family—a story worth writing about. You, me, and Davey. I'll never be disappointed by what we have."
I nod, my gaze dropping to the floor.
"Do you believe me?" he asks, gently lifting my chin with his thumb until our eyes meet.
"I believe you," I whisper. His sincerity is reflected in his eyes, convincing me that what we share is more than enough to make us both happy.
***
After Davey is tucked into bed, his eyes heavy with sleep, I linger by the door, watching as Noah leans in to kiss him goodnight. We turn off the light, and just as the door begins to close, Davey's small voice reaches us. "I love you, Daddy. I love you, Lily."
"We love you too," we both say in unison, our voices filled with all our love for him.
We head downstairs and curl up on the couch. I rest my head on Noah’s shoulder and take a slow, deep breath, letting his presence fill me. His nearness grounds me, relaxes me, and fills me with quiet happiness. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here, wrapped in his arms.
“We're invited to dinner at Loren and Aaron's tomorrow," he says, reaching for my hand. He lifts it to his lips, kissing my knuckles softly. Of all the romantic things this man does, this gentle, intimate gesture is by far the most meaningful—it never fails to touch my heart.
"Loren mentioned it the last time we spoke," I say, glancing up at him. "How was Aaron?"
"I told him I asked you to marry me," he says, smiling. "He shook my hand and said, 'Congratulations.'"
"Good," I smile back. "See? Everything's falling into place. We have everyone's blessing now."
"Well, not quite," he says, his tone softening. "Marian might never come around, but she'll always be Davey's mom. Are you sure you're ready to deal with her moving forward?"
"I am," I say, though he immediately senses the shift in my mood.
"What is it?" he asks. I take a deep breath, steadying myself, and tell him about Marian's visit.
As I recount every word of our confrontation, I feel his body tense beside me, his jaw tightening with each detail.
"I'll talk to her," he offers, pulling me closer to his solid body.
"No," I say firmly, pulling away to look at him. "She's probably expecting that. The last thing I want is for her to think I can't stand up for myself and need my big, strong, annoyingly handsome fiancé to swoop in and save me."
"Annoyingly?" he protests, raising an eyebrow.
"It’s annoying because it distracts me," I tease. "Your rugged good looks take my breath away. Sometimes, I lose my train of thought... especially when you look at me. Like you’re doing right now."
"You should talk," he says, his gaze tracing every feature of my face.
"What do you mean?" I ask, giving him my best pout.
"You have no idea what your beautiful face does to me," he says softly, his hand gliding up my arm until it reaches my neck, resting there, its warmth sending a radiant heat through me. "Your eyes." He says, pressing a tender kiss to my closed eyelids. "Your nose," he murmurs, kissing the tip of my nose. "Your dimple," he whispers, brushing his lips against my cheek. "And those pouty lips," he breathes before his mouth captures mine. I feel myself slipping into a deep abyss, every sense awakening. The sight of this beautiful man as he slowly teases my mouth with his. The touch of his hand—gentle and seductive all at once. The scent of his cologne surrounds me, pulling me deeper into a world where it’s just us, and everything else fades away. His words of love drift to my ears with each whisper. And then there's his lips. I've never tasted anything so sweet. They drive me to the brink of delicious insanity. Did I miss anything? I ask myself before surrendering completely and losing myself in his arms.
"Don't stop," I beg him when he ends the kiss and pulls away. I open my eyes and find him devouring me with his gaze.
"I don't want to stop, Sweetheart, but it's getting late. Let me walk you home." And with that, he lets me know he won't touch me again until we're married.
"That must’ve been some talk you had with Jon and Aaron," I murmur.
"What do you mean?" he asks, his expression sincere.
"Did they threaten you with bodily harm if you took advantage of me?" I ask, eyeing him. "I know Aaron, and when he promised my mother he'd protect me like one of his own children, he meant it. And we both know where Jon stands on the subject."
"They don't need to protect you from me, Lily," he says, his gaze melting my heart. "For as much as they love you, I love you more."
His words make me smile. I lean in, kissing him softly, gently, sweetly. Then, I pull back, meeting his eyes, hoping he can see everything I’m feeling. "I love you too."
I stand and head toward the front door. "Can I show you the daycare's registration form before I go? I printed out a copy so you can give it a once-over with your author's eyes."
"My author's eyes?" he chuckles. "Sure, let me see it."
I glance next to my purse on the console table, but it’s not there. "I know I brought a copy out with me when I answered the door," I say.
"Maybe it’s in the office," he suggests.
"No," I reply firmly. "It was right here."
"Let’s go print another one," he says, standing and walking toward me.
I hesitate, my eyes following him. "I think Marian took it," I finally admit.
"Why would she do that?" he asks, confusion clouding his gaze.
"Noah, it was right here. When I walked into the kitchen and left her standing here, it took her several seconds to leave. She must’ve seen it and taken it."
"Again," he repeats. "What for?"
"I don’t know," I murmur, but a cold prickle settles deep in my stomach, tightening with an uneasy grip.
***
"You're quiet," Noah says as we walk across the lawn to my front door.
"Marian warned me that by the time she was done with me, I'd be sorry I ever met you."
He stays silent until we reach the door. Then, he looks down at me, searching my face. "Let me talk to her," he offers, pulling me into his arms.
"I honestly don’t think it’ll help. It'll just fuel her belief that she scared me."
"I will never let anyone hurt you," he says, his gaze reaching inside my heart. I believe him.