Chapter Twenty-Three
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Annabelle
M y hands tremble as I straighten the plates on the picnic table for the third time. The backyard looks perfect, colorful paper lanterns strung across the patio, the grill prepped and ready, and Ashlynn's toys neatly tucked away in her outdoor bin. Everything is in place, except my nerves.
"Hey," Nolan's voice comes from behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist. "Breathe. It's just our friends."
I lean back into his chest, savoring the warmth. "I know. But this makes it official. Real."
"Second thoughts?" His voice holds a note of vulnerability that makes my heart ache.
I turn in his arms. "Not a single one."
The kiss I give him is gentle but firm, a promise. When we part, his eyes are bright with something that looks dangerously close to love.
"We should tell Ashlynn before everyone gets here," I say, glancing at the princess-shaped wall clock visible through the kitchen window. "They'll be here in less than an hour."
Nolan nods, takes my hand in his. "She's in her playroom. I've been trying to think of the right words all morning."
We find Ashlynn surrounded by her favorite stuffed animals, conducting what appears to be a very serious tea party. Her curls bounce as she looks up, her face lighting with that smile that first stole my heart when I started as her nanny.
"Daddy. Anna. Want tea?" She holds up an empty plastic cup.
"Thank you, Princess," Nolan says, sitting cross-legged on the floor beside her. I join them, accepting my own imaginary cup.
"Ashlynn, honey," I begin, looking to Nolan for encouragement. "Your daddy and I want to talk to you about something."
Her wide blue eyes, so like her father's, blink up at me curiously.
Nolan clears his throat. "You know how Daddy loves you very much?"
She nods solemnly.
"Well, I also care about Belle very much. In a special way." He reaches for my hand, and I squeeze his fingers. "Belle and I are... dating now."
Ashlynn's forehead wrinkles in concentration. "Like Peppa Pig's mommy and daddy?"
I suppress a smile. "Sort of, sweetie. It means we like spending time together, and we care about each other very much."
Her eyes widen suddenly, and she gasps with the dramatic flair only a three-year-old can muster. "Belle, you be my mommy now?"
The question hits me like a physical blow. I look at Nolan, whose expression mirrors my panic.
"Well, not exactly," he starts.
"We're just dating right now," I add quickly. "That means we're spending time together to see if we want to be together forever."
But Ashlynn's face is already alight with joy. She scrambles into my lap, throwing her arms around my neck. "I always wanted a mommy. The other kids at dance have mommies."
Over her head, Nolan and I exchange helpless glances.
"Ash," Nolan says gently, stroking her hair. "Belle has always been special to us, hasn't she? She takes care of you, plays with you,"
"And she lives with us and makes pancakes and reads stories." Ashlynn finishes triumphantly. "That's what mommies do."
My eyes fill with tears. I've been careful over the years, maintaining professional boundaries despite growing to love this little girl fiercely. But the truth is, in my heart, I've mothered her in all the ways that matter.
"How about this," I say softly. "I'm still Belle, the same as always. Your daddy and I are going to spend special time together, and we all three will do fun things as a family. And we'll figure out the rest as we go, okay?"
She considers this, her little brow furrowed in thought. "But I can tell Madison at dance that I have a mommy now?"
Nolan looks at me, his expression unreadable. Then he says, "Let's just say Belle is Daddy's special someone, and she loves you very much. Is that okay?"
Ashlynn sighs dramatically. "Okay. But you're still going to live with us forever, right Anna?"
"I'm not going anywhere," I promise, and the look Nolan gives me makes my heart skip a beat.
The doorbell rings, saving us from further explanation.
"That'll be Weston and Melanie," Nolan says, standing. "They're always early."
True to form, Weston strides in with a case of beer and a knowing grin as he looks down at our clasped hands. Melanie follows with a salad bowl, but drops it on the counter to rush over and hug me.
"Finally." she whispers in my ear. "We've been dying for you two to figure it out."
I pull back, surprised. "You knew?"
"Honey," she snorts, "everyone knew. The way he looks at you when you're not paying attention? We've had a betting pool going for months."
My cheeks burn. "You did not."
"Boone won," Weston chimes in, clapping Nolan on the back. "He had 'after a traumatic event, Nolan will figure his shit out.' Man, we thought for sure something would happen at New Year's."
Nolan laughs, a sound that still makes my stomach flip. "Well, if I'd known you all were so invested, I might have moved things along quicker."
The others arrive in quick succession,Boone and Alexis with nachos, Abel and Kara bringing her famous birria tacos, Vaughn and Val with beer, and Jasper and Daisy showing up last with Barrett and Gabby in tow, holding the best dessert I've seen in a while.
The backyard fills with laughter and conversation. I find myself constantly gravitating toward Nolan, and he to me, his hand on the small of my back, my fingers brushing his arm, small touches that feel significant in their newness.
"So," Gabby sidles up to me as I'm refilling the chip bowl. "Tell me everything. How did it finally happen?"
I smile, remembering the night after that first kitchen kiss, when Nolan came to my bedroom door, his face etched with determination rather than regret. "It just... did. Like it was always meant to."
"Well, duh," Alexis chimes in, joining our conversation. "We've watched you two orbit each other for years. It was painful, honestly."
"Months," I correct. "Not years."
The women exchange glances. "Honey," Daisy says gently, "you've been in love with him since the first day you saw him at the daycare.. And he started falling for you the moment you got Ashlynn to sleep through the night when no one else could."
I feel my face flush hot. "Was it that obvious?"
"YES!” comes the chorus from all the women within earshot.
Across the yard, I catch Nolan watching me, a soft smile playing on his lips. Boone is saying something to him, but Nolan's attention is fixed on me. When our eyes meet, the world around us seems to quiet.
"See?" Melanie nudges me. "That look right there. That's how we knew."
Later, as the afternoon stretches into evening and our friends begin to depart, I find myself helping Ashlynn build a dandelion crown on the edge of the patio. Nolan approaches, carrying two glasses of wine.
"For you," he says, handing me one before sitting beside us. "Ashlynn, that crown looks beautiful."
"It's for Anna," she announces, placing the slightly squashed circle of yellow flowers on my head. "Because she's a princess now."
Nolan's eyes crinkle at the corners. "She certainly is."
When Ashlynn races off to collect more dandelions, Nolan leans closer. "So, this wasn't too terrible, was it? Everyone giving us a hard time?"
I take a sip of beer. "Actually, it was kind of nice. To know they saw it coming before we did."
"I saw it coming," he admits quietly. "I just didn't think I deserved it. Deserved you."
The confession catches me off guard. I turn to look at him fully, taking in the vulnerability in his eyes. "Nolan,"
"Let me finish," he says, taking my free hand. "I've been alone with Ashlynn for so long, trying to be everything she needs. When you came into our lives, you filled all these spaces I didn't even know were empty. But I was scared to mess it up, to risk losing you completely if things didn't work out between us."
I squeeze his hand. "I was scared too. You and Ashlynn became my world, and I couldn't bear the thought of not being part of your lives."
"You are our world now," he says, his voice rough with emotion. "I don't know exactly where this is going, but I know I want to find out. With you."
My heart swells in my chest, too full for words. Instead, I lean forward and press my lips to his, tasting wine and promise.
"Anna. Daddy. Look how many I found." Ashlynn runs back toward us, her little hands overflowing with dandelions, some already gone to seed and floating away in the evening breeze.
Nolan pulls away just enough to rest his forehead against mine. "What do you say we put her to bed early tonight?"
The heat in his eyes sends a delicious shiver down my spine. "I say that sounds perfect."
As the sun sets over our little backyard gathering, I can't help but feel that after years of taking care of everyone else, I've finally found where I belong. Not just as Ashlynn's nanny or Nolan's girlfriend, but as an essential part of this beautiful, unexpected family we're creating together.
And for the first time in my life, it feels like coming home.