Chapter 13
13
Josie
Sitting in the dining room at Nico’s house had become like normal life. Haley was laying on the floor in the living room entrapped into some kids tv show.
“Ever since Brandi left,” Nico began, tracing the wood grain of the table with his rough fingertip, “I’ve been this... fortress, I guess. Walls up, drawbridge raised.”
I watched him. I saw the shadows of past hurt lurking beneath his guarded exterior. “You're scared,” I said, not as an accusation, but as a delicate acknowledgment of his pain.
“Yeah,” he admitted, his gaze lifting to meet mine—two dark pools of earnest fear. “Scared of what opening up means. Scared of putting Haley through any more heartache. She doesn't deserve that.”
I shifted closer, my hand tentatively finding its way atop his, a whisper of contact. “Nico, Haley is amazing because you've been an incredible father. And anyone—myself included—who gets to be part of your lives would be lucky.”
His hand turned beneath mine. “Josie,” he breathed out my name like a prayer or maybe a plea. “I didn’t think I had it in me to take that risk. Not again.”
“Risk can be terrifying,” I agreed, my thumb brushing against the back of his hand in gentle circles. “But some things…” I paused, my heart drumming a rhythm of hope against my ribcage. “Some things are worth the leap. We don't have to rush. We can take it one day at a time.”
Nico's eyes softened. “Then you walked into my life. And now I’m questioning everything.”
“Really?”
“Really. So tonight, someone is coming to watch Haley while I take you out. Nothing fancy.”
My eyes lit up. “I’ll go home and get ready then.”
“See you at seven.”
After an hour of putting on and taking off clothes, I finally settled on an outfit. A pair of dark black jeans, converses, and a black top with a red cardigan in case we were outside.
Like clockwork, the doorbell rang at seven o’clock. When I opened the door, there he was, looking as handsome as ever.
“You look beautiful in everything. That should be illegal.”
I blushed and took his hand. “Where are we going?”
“I thought since the weather is so nice, we’d stay outside.”
Perfect!
After walking a couple of blocks, we ended up at the park. "May I have this dance?" he asked.
I took his hand and out here, beneath the stars, he seemed less like the brooding figure I'd first met and more like a man stepping out of the shadows. We moved together.
“Josie, being here with you, it feels right,” Nico murmured, his breath warm against my ear as we swayed. “But I need you to know, I'm still figuring out how to navigate... everything.”
“Me too,” I admitted, my eyes locked on his. “We're both walking a path we didn't expect.” My heart trembled, daring to reach out for the connection that hovered between us, fragile and precious.
“Let's make a pact then,” he suggested, his gaze searching mine. “Honesty, above all else. We'll take each step with care, no rushing, no hiding.”
My lips curved into a hopeful smile, and I nodded. “And patience.”
And then his lips were on mine.
My mind whirled with the kaleidoscope of sensations—the press of his lips, the gentle caress of his hand on my back, the soft sigh that escaped without permission. This was the whimsy I had only ever captured through my camera, never imagining it could be mine to live.
We pulled away just enough to share a breath, a moment of tranquil clarity amidst the whirlwind. “We're doing this, aren't we?”
“I only had the sitter for two hours and it’s almost up. Feel like coming back to my place?”
I took his hand and we walked the two blocks back.
The door to Nico's house swung open, its familiar creak a soft welcome home. The babysitter, a teenage girl from down the street, looked up from her textbook, a smile creasing her face.
“Everything went great,” she whispered, careful not to break the hallowed silence of the house at rest.
“Thank you, Emily.” He slipped some bills into her hand.
“See you next time, Mr. Youngblood.”
With the soft click of the door closing, the house seemed to exhale, settling into its bones in the quiet night. I turned to find Nico leaning against the wall, his eyes reflecting the last glimmers of starlight that snuck through the blinds.
“Looks like it's just us now,” he murmured, his voice a velvet whisper that sent shivers dancing down my spine.
I nodded, my gaze traveling the contours of his face, memorizing the way the shadows played hide and seek with his strong jawline. I moved closer, my footsteps muffled by the thick rug underfoot.
“Us... and a certain little someone who should be asleep,” I said, a playful twinkle in my eye.
Nico chuckled, a sound that rumbled like gentle thunder. “Haley has been trying to outwit sleep.”
We tiptoed towards Haley's room. Pushing the door open, we found Haley sitting up in bed, her curls a halo around her cherubic face. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischievous delight upon seeing Josie.
“Josie!” Haley exclaimed, a giggle escaping her lips as she clapped her hands together. “Will you read me a story?”
“Only if you're ready to close those bright eyes afterward.”
“Promise,” Haley beamed, patting the space beside her on the bed.
I settled next to her andNico watched from the doorway. I reached for the book on the nightstand, its pages worn from countless adventures.
“Once upon a time, in a land far away…” My voice trailed into the realm of make-believe. I poured every ounce of affection into the story, my words a lullaby wrapping Haley in a cocoon of care and comfort.
As the story neared its end, Haley's eyelids grew heavy, her breaths deepening into the steady rhythm of sleep. I closed the book, her fingers lingering on the cover as I whispered the final words, “And they lived happily ever after.”
I rose from the bed, tucking Haley in with gentle hands. Nico stepped forward, his shadow merging with mine.
“Goodnight, my little star,” Nico breathed, kissing Haley's forehead.
We retreated to the doorway, Nico's arm finding its way around my shoulders.
“Thank you,” Nico said, sincerity etching his features. “For reading to her... for being here.”
“Thank you for letting me be.”