Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The first few days of motherhood passed in a blur.

Feeding.

Changing nappies.

Very little sleep.

And somehow, despite being exhausted almost constantly, Daisy had never been happier.

Lillie quickly became the center of her entire world.

Every tiny noise made Daisy check on her.

Every yawn made her smile.

Every little stretch seemed like the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen.

According to Harper, she was becoming ridiculous.

According to Daisy, she was being a mother.

A few days after bringing Lillie home, New York was blessed with one of those perfect autumn mornings.

The sky was bright blue.

The sun was warm.

The air carried just enough chill to make it comfortable.

After days spent mostly inside the apartment, Daisy decided they both needed some fresh air.

Just her and Lillie.

She carefully bundled her daughter into a soft pink outfit before settling her inside the stroller.

Lillie slept through the entire process.

Naturally.

"You know," Daisy told her, "some babies make their mothers work for things."

Lillie yawned.

Helpful.

A short while later they were walking through Central Park.

The city seemed alive around them.

Children raced across open grass.

Parents sat on benches drinking coffee.

Dogs chased tennis balls.

Morning runners moved steadily along the paths.

The normality of it all felt strangely comforting.

For the first time since giving birth, Daisy felt herself relax.

Just a little.

The pressure of being solely responsible for another human being eased for a moment.

Lillie remained asleep.

Completely unaware of the world around her.

Daisy smiled down into the stroller.

"You are missing everything."

A tiny hand escaped from the blanket.

Her heart melted instantly.

She was so focused on her daughter that she almost didn't notice the runner approaching.

Almost.

Then she looked up.

And froze.

A man was running toward her along the path.

Tall.

Dark hair.

Athletic build.

Even from a distance she knew.

Roman.

Her heart nearly stopped.

No.

No way.

As he got closer, he looked up.

And saw her.

Roman immediately slowed.

Then stopped completely.

Only a few feet away.

For a moment neither of them spoke.

The sounds of the park seemed to disappear.

All Daisy could hear was her own heartbeat.

Roman stared at her.

Like he couldn't quite believe she was standing there.

"Daisy?"

Just hearing him say her name again almost knocked the breath from her lungs.

"Hi."

Roman laughed softly.

A disbelieving sound.

"I genuinely thought you vanished off the face of the earth."

Daisy looked away briefly.

A little guilt still lingered.

"I'm sorry."

Roman shook his head.

"No. I just..."

He laughed again.

"Wow."

For a second he simply looked at her.

Then his gaze drifted downward.

Toward the stroller.

Everything changed.

Daisy saw it happen.

The confusion.

The curiosity.

The sudden calculation.

Roman stared at the pink blanket.

The tiny sleeping baby.

The dark hair visible beneath the little hat.

Then slowly looked back up at Daisy.

"How old is she?"

His voice sounded quieter now.

Different.

Daisy swallowed.

"A few days."

Roman looked back at the stroller immediately.

The math was obvious.

His eyes lifted slowly.

"Is she mine?"

The question wasn't angry.

Wasn't accusing.

Just stunned.

Daisy felt emotion tighten in her throat.

"Yes."

Roman closed his eyes briefly.

A slow breath escaped him.

Then he looked down at the baby again.

His daughter.

"You had my baby."

Daisy nodded.

"I found out a few weeks after we met."

Roman looked back at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

The question she'd dreaded for months.

"I didn't know how to find you."

"What?"

"We never talked about work. Or where we lived. Or anything like that."

Realization washed across his face.

"My God."

Daisy looked down.

"I thought about trying. But all I had was your first name."

Roman laughed softly in disbelief.

"I spent weeks trying to find you."

Daisy blinked.

"What?"

"I went back to the bar."

Her heart skipped.

"Several times."

Roman shook his head.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you."

The honesty caught her completely off guard.

"I really liked you, Daisy."

For a moment neither of them spoke.

Then Roman looked back toward the stroller.

Again.

Like he physically couldn't stop.

His eyes softened.

"What’s her name?"

A smile appeared on Daisy's face.

"Lillie."

Roman repeated it quietly.

"Lillie."

As though committing it to memory.

And standing there in the middle of Central Park, with the daughter he never knew existed sleeping peacefully between them, both of their lives changed forever. ❤️