There’s an ease in my shoulders, as though a weight has been lifted. “I know this is a lot for you, but I’m so grateful you’re going to be in her life.”
“It’s not just her, Cadence. It’s you too. I want a life with you. I want us to be a family.” He pauses, letting his words sink in. “I know we’ve not really talked about us, we’ve kept it all about me moving to be closer to Hazel, but, babe, it’s not just her I want to be closer to. It’s you too.”
Tears burn my eyes as they threaten to fall. I open my mouth to speak, but no words come, so instead, I give him a watery smile and nod. “O-kay.” I manage to push the words out after swallowing back the lump in my throat.
“Although I think we’re going to need a bigger place. I don’t see all of my stuff fitting in your small apartment.”
“You’re probably right,” I say with a smile.
“I’ll start looking for houses. We’ll need to research the schools and surroundings areas. It’s going to take us some time. Plus, we want it to be a convenient distance to both of our jobs.”
“You’re buying a house?” My heart stammers in my chest. Is this really happening? Every dream I’ve ever had for Hazel and me, to find him one day, is finally happening.
“No. We’re buying a house,” he corrects me. “It’s going to be our home, Cadence. All three of us.”
The words I love you burn on the tip of my tongue. It’s crazy to even think about saying that to him, but he gave me Hazel. He gave me the most incredible gift in this life and a night that I know I will never forget. He’s handing me my dreams—for me and my daughter—on a silver platter, and my heart is full. Each night after we put Hazel to bed, he makes love to me. I feel our connection in my bones, and he’s so tender, so gentle, it couldn’t be described as anything else.
“Since the kitchen is packed, how about we go out to eat?” he suggests.
“Order in?” I motion to my short shorts and an old T-shirt. “I’m not really dressed to go out.”
“Whatever you want.” He leans over and kisses me. His tongue slides past my lips as he deepens the kiss. I lean in too, wanting more of him, but tiny hands tugging at my hair have me pulling back and yelping in pain.
“No, no, sweet girl,” Trevin coos. “That hurts Mommy. We don’t pull hair,” he tells her. “You good?”
“I’m fine. Not the first time, and I’m sure not the last.” I tap Hazel’s nose with my index finger. “This one has an iron grip.”
“Any preference for dinner?”
“Nope. Surprise me. I’m going to take this little one and give her a bath.”
“I’m going to order, and I’ll be up to help.” He bends to give Hazel a kiss on her cheek, and then a little further pressing his lips to mine.
“All right, little lady. It’s time for your bath.” Before I can lift her off the floor, Trevin is on his feet and taking her with him.
“Did you grow today while Daddy was gone?” He lifts her into the air over his head, and she babbles like she always does when she’s the center of her daddy’s attention. He blows a raspberry on her belly, where her shirt has ridden up, and her tiny hands fist his hair, making him laugh. “All right, baby girl. We need to work on that,” he tells her with a smile. “Go to Momma so I can order us some food.” He kisses her cheek once more and places her in my arms. “I’ll be right there,” he says, kissing me too.
I stand still and watch him walk toward the kitchen. I can’t believe this is my life, that everything I ever dreamed of is coming true.
I have a family.
“We love Daddy, don’t we, Hazel?” I whisper to my daughter as I turn and head to the bathroom to give her a bath.
I’ve barely gotten her undressed when Trevin appears beside me. “I ordered Mexican. It will be here in about thirty minutes.”
“Perfect. That gives us enough time to get her bathed and into some pajamas.” I place her in the small bathtub that we had to buy because, of course, I forgot to pack it. Together we sit on the floor beside the tub that holds her baby tub and give our daughter a bath. This has become our routine. I tell him he doesn’t have to help, but he claims he doesn’t want to miss another moment of her life. I melt into a puddle every time he says things like that, which is pretty much any time he’s talking.
“Trev?”
“Yeah?” he asks, lifting Hazel from the tub and wrapping her in a towel.
“I’m glad it was you. I’m glad you were my first, and that this situation—” I motion between the three of us. “I wouldn’t want it to be anyone else.”
His eyes soften. “Hazel, Mommy’s making Daddy soft.” My eyes dart to his crotch, and he is most definitely not soft. “In here.” He taps his free hand that’s not holding our daughter over his heart. “There will never be an issue with soft there.” He looks down at his crotch and back up to me. “Not where you’re concerned.” Those hazel eyes of his show me that he means what he says.
The doorbell rings, and he smirks. “That’s dinner.” He stands, our daughter wrapped up in a thick towel and heads to the door. “Oh, Cadence?”
“Y-Yeah?” I reply.
“You’re dessert.” With that, he leaves me kneeling next to the tub on the bathroom floor, aching for him. I love my daughter, but I can’t help but hope she goes to sleep with ease this evening. Her daddy promised me dessert.
Chapter Ten
Trevin
It’s been a month since I moved back home to Indy, and there has not been a single day that I’ve regretted my decision. I get to fall asleep with Cadence in my arms and wake up the same way. I get to hold my daughter, give her baths, and read her stories while her momma feeds her at night. I get to hold both of my girls in my arms, and there is nothing more in this world I could ask for.
Well, maybe one thing. A bigger house. This two-bedroom is cramped with the three of us. I have most of my things in storage. We’ve been looking at houses, but nothing has jumped out at us as being the one. Not to mention, we still have my house in Lexington on the market. As soon as we get that sold, we’ll have more flexibility with what we can purchase. I want a home. I want the big yard and plenty of space for our growing family. I want Hazel to feel settled, safe, and secure, just like Thea and I were as kids.
Not just Hazel, but Cadence too. There is a pain in my chest anytime I let myself think about how she grew up. I want her to have everything she’s missed out on, everything she’s ever dreamed of. I won’t stop until I do. That’s what you do when you love someone.
And I love her.
Not just because she’s the mother of my child, I love her spirit. I love coming home to her, and I love knowing that we’re a team. I could sit here for hours and list off items that make me love her and fall harder every day. However, I don’t need to. I know it’s her. It’s who she is as a person.
Raising my hand to knock on my sister’s door, it opens before I get the chance. “Hey,” Scott greets me. “You’re home early.”