Chapter 12
12
Josie
I squinted against the brilliance as I approached the playground where Nico stood, his daughter Haley at his side, her laughter cutting through the distance like a melody.
“Hey, Josie!” Haley called out, her voice a chipper chirp that drew a smile from my lips.
“Hi there, Haley-Bear,” I greeted, my heart warming at the sight of the eight-year-old bouncing with excitement. I turned to Nico, taking in his casual stance, his black hair ruffled by an errant breeze. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“Thought it'd be nice, you know,” Nico said, his voice a low timbre that somehow deepened the color of the day. “To hang out a little.” His eyes, dark and fathomless, glanced away, betraying a vulnerability that belied his solid frame.
I felt the guarded walls around my heart soften just a touch. “I’m glad you did.”
“Come push me on the swings, Josie!” Haley tugged at my hand, pulling me toward the set of swings that swayed gently in the wind.
“Okay, okay,” I chuckled, caught up in the child's infectious energy. I positioned myself behind Haley and gave a gentle push, sending the little girl soaring into the air, her curls catching the sunlight.
“Higher!” Haley squealed, and I obliged, her own spirit lifting with each push.
Nico joined us, standing beside me with an ease that felt new yet familiar. He watched them, a softness touching his features. Then, without a word, he reached down and scooped up a ball that lay forgotten in the grass.
“Think fast!” he called out, tossing the ball to Josie with a playful arc.
My photographer's reflexes kicked in, and I caught it, laughing. “Is this how you treat all your picnic guests?” I teased, throwing the ball back.
“Only the ones I like,” Nico replied, a smirk dancing on his lips.
Haley ran towards us, joining in the game of catch, her giggles punctuating each successful toss. It was rare for me to let my guard down, but with Nico and Haley, it was natural.
The ball flew between us, a tangible connection that seemed to pull me closer to this father-daughter duo who had unwittingly become a part of my world. Each time my fingers brushed against Nico's in a passing exchange, a spark flickered, igniting something within me that I dared not name.
As we played, I caught glimpses of Nico—the tender way he looked at Haley, the unguarded smiles he shared with her—and I recognized the longing in myself for the kind of love that was fearless and pure.
“Your turn to push me, Daddy!” Haley declared.
“Alright,” Nico said, stepping up to the swing set, placing his hands on the chains, and pushing Haley toward the sky, her delighted shrieks filling the air.
“Look at me, Josie! I'm flying!”
“You sure are, Haley-Bear.”
After a half hour, Haley was winding down.
“Let's take a breather,” Nico suggested, his voice a soothing baritone that seemed to blend seamlessly with the rustling leaves above them.
I nodded, my heartbeat slowing from the exertion of their play. I watched as Nico set down a woven basket and began unpacking an array of sandwiches, each wrapped in butcher paper and tied with twine. There was something about the meticulous care he took that made my heart flutter—a quiet testament to his character.
“Chicken salad for the lady,” Nico said, offering a sandwich to me with a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“Thank you.”
As we ate, Nico leaned back against the trunk of the oak, his gaze following Haley as she chased a butterfly, her giggles punctuating the serenity of their picnic. The sight seemed to stir something within him, a memory that clouded his usually guarded eyes.
“You know,” he began, pausing to collect his thoughts, “when I left for college, it was like the first domino in a long line got knocked down.”
I turned toward him, giving him my full attention, my sandwich momentarily forgotten. “What happened?”
“My dad... he walked out on us right before.” Nico's jaw tensed as he spoke, the words seemingly pulled from a place of deep-rooted pain. “Michael… well it broke him not having Dad around. And Mom…” His voice trailed off as he shook his head, the shadow of old sorrow crossing his face.
My heart ached for the young man Nico must have been. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, my own past making me no stranger to the scars left by those who were supposed to love unconditionally.
He offered a rueful half-smile, his dark eyes meeting mine. “It's okay. It's just what made us who we are, you know? For better or worse.”
There was a vulnerability in Nico that I hadn't seen before—a crack in the armor that revealed the tender heart beneath. I wanted to reach out, to offer comfort, but instead, I let out a soft laugh, chasing away the heaviness of the moment. “Well, for what it's worth, I think you turned out pretty great.”
Nico chuckled, the sound rich and genuine, and for a brief second, I imagined that laughter was a language we could both speak fluently, without fear or hesitation.
“Wish it was the same for my brother. I really thought he had finally gotten his shit together.” He covered his mouth, looking around for Haley. “It seems it was just a facade. Chase lost his mother years ago and without his father around, well I’m all he’s got.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. As hard as it is for you to hear. Michael made his own choices. You just made better ones. I mean look at you. Haley adores you. You’re her hero.”
“I just wish Chase could say the same about Michael. That’s all.”
It tore me up to hear him speak like that. Michael wasn’t always down a dark path, but knowing now what was happening back then, it made sense why our break-up was so sudden.
“Come here, you two!” Haley called.
As we rose to join Haley, the lightness returned—both to the air and within myself. The whimsy of the day had not been lost, merely enriched by the depth of shared confidences and the quiet strength that comes from understanding another's past.
The laughter faded, replaced by the tranquil hush of evening as we ambled toward an empty park bench. A soft breeze played with the edges of my hair, and I tucked a wavy strand behind my ear before settling next to Nico.
“Look at that sky,” I murmured. I leaned forward, elbows on my knees, capturing the image in my mind's camera. “It's like a painting, isn't it?”
“Every sunset is unique,” Nico replied. “Like a fingerprint in the sky.” He stretched his arm along the back of the bench.
Haley, nestled between us, pointed at the disappearing clouds. “They look like cotton candy!”
I chuckled, my heart swelling at the child's imagination. With a sidelong glance at Nico, I caught a glimpse of his profile—strong jaw softened by the descending light, eyes reflecting the fading day. In this quiet moment, I felt the walls around my heart crumble just a bit more.
“Your daughter has your gift for seeing the beauty in things.”
“Maybe,” he conceded, a thoughtful expression creasing his brow. “Or maybe she's just got a knack for finding joy everywhere. Something I'm still learning.”
“Is that hard?” I asked.
“Sometimes,” he admitted. His hand moved, fingers grazing the ends of my hair. “After my father left, and especially after... well, when Michael went away, I forgot how to find joy. It's different with Haley. She reminds me every day.”
My pulse quickened under his touch, my mind piecing together the fragments of his past he'd shared earlier. I wanted to reach out, to offer comfort, but instead, I took a deep breath, allowing the silence to speak for me.
“Let’s go, honey.”
We rose together, Haley bouncing excitedly between us. Our steps fell into a natural harmony as we made our way across the grassy expanse towards the parking lot.
“Did you have fun today, Daddy?” Haley asked, skipping over cracks in the pavement.
“More than you know, munchkin,” Nico responded, his voice carrying a depth that only I seemed to notice.
The parking lot was nearly empty now, the day's warmth dissipating as quickly as the sunlight. As Nico helped Haley into her seat, I lingered, not ready for the day to end.
“Today was... nice.”
“It was,” Nico agreed, closing Haley's door and turning to face me. “Thanks to you.”
Our gazes locked. “Thanks for today… for making Haley feel welcome here.” A smile, timid yet sincere, tugged at the corners of his lips. His gaze dropped to my mouth then back to my eyes, an unspoken question flickering there. I answered it with a nod so slight it was almost imperceptible.
That was all Nico needed.
He leaned in, and his lips met mine in a kiss as soft and tentative as the first drop of rain after a long drought. My eyes fluttered closed, my body instinctively leaning into the warmth of his touch. His hand came up to gently cradle my face, thumb brushing my cheekbone, anchoring me to this moment, to him.
When we parted, it was like awakening from a dream too sweet to leave behind. My eyes opened to find Nico watching me with an intensity that spoke volumes. His hand lingered on my face, reluctant to break the connection.
“Wow.”
“Yeah,” he echoed. "Wow."
My heart hammered. I wanted to pull him close again, to lose myself in the depth of his kiss, to explore the promise that lay just beyond the horizon of our lips, but Haley was just inside the car.
“Goodnight, Josie.”
“Goodnight.”
As I climbed into my car, the last traces of daylight vanished, leaving only the stars. I drove away with my thoughts swirling, each one imprinted with the feeling of Nico's kiss—soft, lingering, and unforgettable.
God, I’m in trouble.