Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

A week after Lillie's scare, life slowly returned to normal.

The fever was gone.

The sleepless nights had eased.

And Lillie was back to ruling everyone's lives exactly as she should.

Unfortunately for Daisy, the experience had left her a little shaken.

Not because she'd doubted her medical knowledge.

Because for the first time she'd realised just how much she had to lose.

Roman noticed.

Of course he did.

He noticed everything.

The way she checked the monitor more often.

The way she lingered beside the crib before going to bed.

The way her smile sometimes faded when she thought nobody was looking.

One Friday evening, after Lillie had fallen asleep, Roman found Daisy standing in the nursery doorway.

Watching.

Just watching.

The baby monitor glowed softly beside her.

Roman stepped up behind her.

"She's still asleep."

Daisy smiled faintly.

"I know."

"You're checking anyway."

"Also true."

For a moment they stood together.

Looking at the little girl sleeping peacefully in her crib.

Eventually Roman spoke.

"You scared me."

Daisy looked at him.

"What?"

"Last week."

His voice was quiet.

Honest.

"When you froze."

Emotion tightened unexpectedly in her chest.

Roman shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I didn't know what to do."

Neither did she.

That had been the worst part.

"I hated seeing you scared."

Daisy looked away.

"You think I enjoyed it?"

Roman laughed softly.

"Fair point."

Silence settled between them.

Comfortable.

Familiar.

The kind that seemed to happen more often now.

Then Roman looked at her.

Really looked at her.

"Daisy."

The seriousness in his voice immediately caught her attention.

"What?"

He hesitated.

Which was unusual.

Roman Moretti didn't hesitate often.

Not in business.

Not in life.

Not with anything.

Yet now he seemed uncertain.

And that alone made her nervous.

"What is it?"

Roman glanced toward Lillie.

Then back at her.

"I want you both to spend more time at my place."

Daisy blinked.

For a second she wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly.

"What?"

Roman immediately held up a hand.

"Not move in."

The answer came so quickly she almost laughed.

"I wasn't thinking that."

"You looked like you were."

She absolutely had been.

Roman smiled.

Then continued.

"I just..."

He paused.

Choosing his words carefully.

"I hate leaving."

The admission surprised her.

Roman looked slightly embarrassed.

"Every night I go home and all I can think about is whether she's sleeping."

His eyes drifted toward the nursery.

"What she's doing."

"If she's okay."

Daisy's heart softened.

Because she understood.

Perfectly.

Roman looked back at her.

"And if I'm honest..."

His smile turned smaller.

Softer.

"I miss you too."

The words stole her breath.

Completely.

Because they weren't dramatic.

They weren't grand.

They were honest.

And somehow that made them mean more.

Roman took a slow breath.

"My place has five bedrooms."

Daisy laughed.

"Only five?"

"One of them is already a nursery."

Her laughter stopped.

"What?"

Roman looked suddenly very interested in the nursery floor.

Daisy stared at him.

"Roman."

He rubbed the back of his neck.

A rare sign of nervousness.

"I might have gotten carried away."

"You built a nursery?"

"A small one."

"A whole nursery."

"Technically yes."

Daisy couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry.

Possibly both.

"Roman."

"What?"

"You didn't have to do that."

His answer came immediately.

"I wanted to."

And there it was again.

The thing he did.

The thing that made it impossible not to fall for him.

Everything he did came from love.

Not obligation.

Not expectation.

Love.

For Lillie.

For her.

The realization made her chest ache.

The following afternoon Roman took them to see it.

His penthouse was exactly as impressive as Daisy remembered.

Floor-to-ceiling windows.

Views stretching across Manhattan.

Elegant and impossibly expensive.

Yet none of that was what caught her attention.

The nursery did.

Roman opened the door almost nervously.

Which was adorable considering he negotiated billion-dollar deals for a living.

Inside was a beautiful room.

Soft cream walls.

Dark wood furniture.

A crib.

A rocking chair.

Shelves already holding books.

Photos.

Toys.

Everything.

Daisy stood frozen in the doorway.

Speechless.

Roman shifted awkwardly.

"If you hate it, we can change it."

She looked at him.

Then at the room.

Then back at him.

"I don't hate it."

Relief immediately flooded his face.

"It's perfect."

Roman smiled.

The real smile.

The one she loved most.

Lillie chose that exact moment to let out a happy squeal from her stroller.

As if she approved too.

Later that evening, after dinner, they sat together on Roman's balcony.

The city lights sparkled below.

Lillie slept peacefully inside.

The nursery monitor resting between them.

Roman's hand found hers.

Naturally.

Without thinking.

Without hesitation.

Daisy looked at their joined hands.

Then at him.

"You know this is getting serious."

Roman smiled.

"I certainly hope so."

Her stomach fluttered.

The same way it always did around him.

Only now there was no uncertainty.

No fear.

No wondering.

Because somewhere along the way, Roman Moretti had stopped feeling like a possibility.

He'd become part of her life.

Part of Lillie's life.

Part of their future.

And for the first time, Daisy allowed herself to stop worrying about what came next.

Because whatever happened—

they'd face it together. ❤️