Page 10 of Moonlight & Matrimony (Oak Ridge #2)

Once I’m finally content with the finished product, I venture out to the backyard to find my daughter and my very hot, very off-limits neighbor. I step out onto the back steps, the summer heat hitting my skin, nearly sucking the air from my lungs. Kentucky humidity is not for the weak.

The yard is modest, with lush green grass bordered by a weathered wooden fence and a few small patches of wildflowers swaying gently in the breeze.

A large oak tree stands proudly between our two houses, casting patchy shadows over the landscape as the sun hangs high in the sky.

I inhale the smell of freshly cut grass, mixed with the lingering scent of wildflowers, allowing a rare moment of peace to wash over me.

But that peace is quickly shattered by the sound of Rylin’s voice, small but clear, drifting from the other side of the yard.

She’s sitting on the grass, legs crossed as she rubs Sage’s belly. Luca’s crouched beside her, his elbows resting on his knees, his left side facing me, listening intently as Rylin speaks. It’s such a simple act, and yet somehow profound.

“Sometimes my daddy scares her,” she says, with the brutal honesty I’ve come to expect from my 4-year-old. “He’s mean, and he said she’s not good enough to be my mommy.”

My breath catches in my throat, my hand instinctively clutching at the porch railing to steady myself.

I resist the urge to rush over and pull Rylin into my arms — to tell her that nothing her father says is true.

But I can't force myself to move, rooted to the spot by the weight of my past and the emotions stirring beneath the surface.

Luca’s voice cuts in, low and calm. “Your mom is one of the strongest people I know. She’s more than good enough. And she loves you more than anything in the world.”

Rylin looks up at Luca then, her big blue eyes searching for a hint of dishonesty. “But why does daddy make her cry?”

Luca reaches out, gently tucking a stray curl behind Rylin’s ear, in a gesture that’s somehow become familiar in the time we’ve known each other, and I swallow against the lump in my throat.

“Some people say hurtful things because they’re hurting inside or because they want to make others feel bad.

He says those things to make your mom feel small, but those words don’t change who she is.

Your mom is like the moon, Ry. Even when the night is darkest, the moon still shines, and no amount of clouds or shadows can take away its light. It’s always there, strong and steady.”

My gut twists at Luca’s words. I’ve never told him what the moon means to me — to us. And hearing Rylin talk about Austin in that way — hearing how much my daughter is aware of — makes me feel as though I’ve failed to protect her from the worst parts of my life.

Rylin nods slowly, as if trying to understand something far too complicated for a 4-year-old. “You make mommy smile,” she says matter-of-factly.

Luca grins at my daughter, a warmth in his expression that makes my heart skip a beat. “I’ll do my best to keep making her smile, little one. And to keep you both safe.”

My heart nearly leaps out of my chest. We still haven’t talked about our fake engagement, and I haven’t quite wrapped my head around what it would mean for me and Rylin if we were to go through with it.

But standing here now, listening to Luca speak to my daughter with gentle determination, I feel a flicker of something foreign — hope.

Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to pretend.

I take a slow, measured step forward, the creak of the wooden panels beneath my feet drawing Luca’s attention. He lifts himself to standing, turning to look at me with an expression that is both reassuring and questioning. Rylin follows his gaze, smiling brightly when she sees me approaching.

I force a smile in return, my heart heavy in the wake of their conversation. Luca crosses the lawn, meeting me halfway as Rylin tosses a tennis ball across the yard for Sage.

“How much did you hear?” he asks, a look of sympathy in his dark irises.

Sighing, I respond, “Too much.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

I reach for him, trailing my fingertips lightly over the compass tattoo on his right forearm. “What does it mean?” The question is a distraction. I don’t want to think about everything that happened and what it means.

“Paige said something to me last year, just before she moved down here for good. She said meeting Cade was like coming up for air after years spent underwater. That he was her second chance — a new beginning. Something about that really resonated with me.” My eyes meet his and the softness there unravels me.

“When shit hit the fan with my parents, I realized I needed a new direction.”

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.

“Thanks. Are you okay?” he asks.

“I… I don’t know.”

“I’m here. Whatever you need. Just say the word.”

My chest tightens the longer we stand there, then I respond, a little breathlessly, “Thank you.” A silence lingers between us, our gazes locked in an intense stare.

“Mommy! Mr. Luca!” Rylin’s voice cuts through the thick tension, jolting us out of the heavy silence. “You can’t catch me,” she sing-songs, eyes darting over to the water hose.

Before either of us can react, Rylin giggles, turning the nozzle towards Luca, a thin spray of water hitting him square in the face before she drops it back onto the grass. He gasps in mock surprise, shaking his head as droplets fly everywhere.

“Oh, no you don’t!” he teases, grabbing the hose just as Rylin reaches for it again.

He squeezes the trigger, a light spray shooting out to catch Rylin on the arm.

She squeals in delight, her laughter ringing through the yard as she runs towards the old oak tree as fast as her little legs will carry her.

I watch the scene play out, my heart swelling at the pure joy on Rylin’s face.

Without overthinking it, I join in the fray, running after Rylin, my own laughter mingling with hers.

“Mommy! Help me!” Rylin calls between giggles, her little feet kicking up the grass as she zigzags across the lawn.

I scoop Rylin into my arms, cradling her head as I spin her around, dodging the spray from the hose as Luca chases us. The cold water hits my back, but I don’t stop.

“You’re not getting away that easily,” he shouts as another jolt of cool mist hits my skin.

“I’ll get you for that!” I cry.

“Oh, really?” Luca raises a brow, aiming the hose squarely at my chest. “Two against one, eh? I like those odds!”

He chases after us; the yard turning into a battlefield. Rylin wriggles free from my arms, darting across the lawn just as Luca reaches us.

“You little traitor!” I shout, and before I can register what’s happening, I’m thrown over Luca’s shoulder, ass in the air as he charges towards the tree.

He deposits me beside Rylin, turning the hose against me, absolutely drenching my shirt.

My nipples pebble under the cold stream and Luca’s attention momentarily snags on my chest, a perfect distraction allowing Rylin to creep around the back of the tree, stealing the hose from Luca as he mistakenly loosens his grip.

Rylin wastes no time turning the water on him, soaking him from head to toe.

“Got ya!” she shouts triumphantly, her face full of glee as Luca falls back onto the ground, feigning defeat.

“Okay okay,” he says, panting slightly. “You win, little one.”

I can’t help the laughter that overtakes me, the worries of the day washed away by the pure joy of the moment.

Rylin and I collapse into the grass on either side of Luca, all of us completely drenched as the sun sinks lower in the sky.

For a moment, nothing else matters, except the warm summer air, and the feeling of being exactly where I’m supposed to be.