Page 72 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

“He’s yours too,” I remind her. “In a way.”

She exhales a shaky breath. “Right.”

She holds her arms out, and I gently transfer Sammy to her. Immediately, he tangles his small hand in one of her dark curls and tugs.

“Ow.” She winces through a laugh. “You’re strong, buddy.”

I help her extract his hand from her hair and let out a low whistle. “Kid’s strong.”

With him in her arms, it allows me a chance to get a better look at him.

He’s so beautiful, so perfect, that he takes my breath away.

“This isn’t so bad.” She rocks from side to side gentlyand smiles down at him. “I thought he wouldn’t like me. That I’d be terrible at this.”

On instinct, I reach out and gently tuck her hair behind her ear. “You’re a natural.”

To the two ladies in the room, Rosie explains, “I’ve never been around babies before.”

“What about Grace?” I ask, keeping my voice low so Nina and the social worker can’t hear me.

“I was ten,” she says by way of explanation. “I was excited to have a sister, but I wasn’t into the whole baby thing. Besides, we had nannies.”

“Ah, makes sense.”

“Here, take him.” She passes Sammy back to me with an encouraging smile. “Enjoy your time with him.”

We only have another forty-five minutes with him, but it’s better than nothing. I won’t take a second of it for granted.

I look down at my son, doing my best to memorize every detail. I might not have been prepared for any of this, but already, I know that I was always meant to bea dad.

18

ROSIE

I step outside,groaning against the cold. Big, fat snowflakes slowly circle from the gray sky. I’m running late for class, having gotten lost in studying for too long. That’s what happens when I have to play catch-up. I’ve been ignoring my schoolwork more than I should while I work to prepare the townhouse for Junior. Furniture for the nursery is ordered, as well as the cutest watercolor dinosaur wallpaper. As I head down the sidewalk, I make a mental note to hire someone to put it up. Already this morning, I spent an hour calling around in searchof a person who could come babyproof the house.

Apparently, most people do that themselves.

I didn’t know that, and frankly, I don’t trust myself or Daire to get it right.

I unlock my car and toss my backpack in the passenger side. As I’m shutting the door, an unfamiliar vehicle pulls into the driveway. Immediately, my hackles raise and my heart rate kicks up a notch.

I’m not about to get kidnapped, am I?

Holding my breath, I take in the minivan, and as I squint at the driver, a laugh works its way out of me.

Why is Daire…? Oh my God.

I suck in one big, gulping breath after another, trying to rein in my hysterics. “Please tell me you didn’t buy a minivan.”

He opens the door and slips out. “Huh?”

With a hand pressed against my stomach, I grin at him. “Did you buy a minivan?”

He looks at the vehicle as if only now realizing what it is. With a shrug, he stuffs his hands into the pockets of his jeans. His breath fogs the air. His blond hair peeks out beneath a black beanie embroidered with the school’s wolf mascot.

“I told the sales guy I needed a family vehicle.”

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