Page 175 of Babies for the Big Shot

Sara, though, she just nods, soft but strong.

“You’re right,” she says, her eyes flicking to me. “They need family. Even if it’s messy.”

I glance at Sara, then back at Evelyn. I don’t know how we got here, or why this is happening now, but… I realize something.

Despite everything that’s happened, despite all the damage, there’s room for this. There has to be. There has to be room for us to heal. For Evelyn, for Sara, for me.

Maybe even for the broken parts of our past that never quite made it whole.

Before I can say anything, Evelyn’s voice cuts through the tension.

“You’ve got a good life here, Nick. She’s… Sara seems great with you.”

I blink, caught off guard by her words. I don’t know whether to feel defensive or grateful. “What do you mean?”

Evelyn’s eyes flick to me for a beat before she speaks again, softer this time. “You’ve always been the one trying to fix things, even when everything felt broken. But… you’re different now. I can see it. She’s good for you.”

I swallow hard, the lump in my throat thickening. Her words carry more weight than I want to admit. “You think so?”

“Yeah,” she says, nodding. “I’ve been watching from the sidelines for a while, you know? I wasn’t sure if you were ever going to let someone in again after…” She stops herself, like she’s afraid to say too much. “But Sara… she’s the real deal, Nick.”

I let out a breath. It’s as though a part of me, something I’ve been holding onto for years, finally exhales.

“I’m so glad you’re back. Ev. And I will do what I can to keep you out the public eye, I swear it…”

Evelyn doesn’t say anything for a moment, just looks at me. There’s a flicker of pain in her eyes, but it’s gone almost as quickly as it appears.

She steps closer, her hand moving to rest gently on the back of Sara’s chair, a gesture that feels so natural it catches me off guard.

“You didn’t need to protect me anymore, Nick,” she says, her voice softer now, more vulnerable than I’ve ever heard it. “I needed to fix myself. You… you tried, though. I know that.”

I feel a strange mixture of guilt and relief wash over me. “I should’ve tried harder. I should’ve been there. You needed me, and I?—”

“No,” she interrupts, shaking her head. “You were trying to fix things that couldn’t be fixed. You were trying to be everything for everyone. You were lost, too.” She pauses, her gaze lingering on me. “But I think you found your way back. I think you’re okay now.”

For the first time, I can feel the possibility of something, of a new beginning. A new chapter.

It’s not perfect. It never will be. But as Evelyn takes a step closer to Sara and looks down at the babies, something shifts.

There’s a tenderness there, something raw but genuine.

I didn’t know how badly I needed this. But I’m beginning to realize… we all do.

And maybe this could be the start of something I didn’t think was possible anymore.

A family.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Sara

TWO MONTHS LATER

Home isa beautiful disaster these days.

Nick’s sleek bachelor pad is no more.

I don’t know if there’s a manual for this kind of thing. Honestly, I don’t know how any of us are surviving, but here we are.