Page 85 of The Lilac River

Bertie spotted me first. "Daddy!" she yelled, waving both hands in the air like she was trying to launch herself into flight.

Lily turned at the sound, her hair blowing slightly in the humid breeze, and when her eyes met mine, the whole damn world stopped spinning for a second.

I smiled. A real, gut-deep smile I hadn’t felt in years.

And maybe it wasn’t smart. Maybe it wasn’t safe. Maybe it was reckless and foolish and all kinds of wrong.

But as I strode toward them, toward my daughter, toward Lily, only one thing mattered.

It felt right.

It felt like coming home.

Chapter 32

Purple Rain - Prince

Lily

When the big, beautiful man walked down the row of lavender toward me, my heart did a full turn in my chest. Nash’s dark hair was tousled, his black T-shirt clinging to his broad chest and strong biceps, his jeans snug against those powerful thighs. Every step he took toward me felt like it echoed straight through my ribcage.

As he approached, he tugged a ball cap onto his head, the simple movement making something low and deep inside me ache. There was something painfully familiar about that gesture, like watching a memory unfold in real time.

The woodsy scent of his cologne mixed with fabric softener drifted toward me, and for one dangerous moment, I thought I might fling myself into his arms. Beg for forgiveness. Tell him everything.

But I couldn’t.

"Daddy!" Bertie's excited cry snapped me back to reality, reminding me I had fifteen kids relying on me to keep ittogether. The sound of her joy grounded me, even as my pulse scrambled in my throat.

"Hey, Bertie." Nash’s smile was pure warmth as he pointed at Shane. "Make sure you give Shane all your attention, munchkin."

Bertie nodded seriously, turning her focus back to Shane as if she hadn't seen her dad in years. Her love for him was written in every inch of her body, how she stood a little taller, how she beamed under his gaze.

"How’s the visit going?" Nash murmured, stepping beside me, his voice a rough whisper against the thick air. He smelled like rain and home and heartache.

"Good. They all have money burning a hole in their pockets, though. Desperate to buy something for their moms," I said, forcing a smile. It felt flimsy, that smile. Like it would shatter under a single touch.

He chuckled low, the sound curling around my spine. "Please don't let Bertie buy anything. I'm not a centerpiece kinda guy."

"Don't worry, I’ll make sure she leaves empty-handed." I added a wink, trying for lightness. But the tension between us hummed like a live wire, snapping beneath every word.

Nash's gaze softened as he glanced at the kids. "Where's the rest of your class?"

"At the library with Mrs. Wright. My parent volunteer bailed at the last minute." I didn’t mean for the exhaustion to leak into my voice, but it did.

"Sick?" he guessed, his dark brows pulling together.

"Yeah. Right outside the school steps." I winced at the memory, even now.

"There's a bug going around," he said, eyes flicking to Bertie, his concern obvious. Always the dad first. It was one of the things that made my chest ache most.

We stood there, the buzz of attraction humming louder than the cicadas. The space between us was thick with the past, unspoken things, unresolved things, still flickering between us like static.

When Nash turned his gaze back to me, it hit me full force. Chocolate-brown eyes, full of emotion, full of... everything I had missed.

Before I could say anything, Shane finished his talk.

"Any questions?" Shane asked the group.