Page 9 of Rockstar Daddy's Second Chance

Cassidy comes in, her eyes wide with curiosity and a flicker of hurt. “Mom, Sam, told me you guys used to perform together.” She crosses her arms in front of her and gives me an accusing look. “You sang in front of people.”

I glance quickly at Sam, who just gives me an apologetic shrug. “I had to tell her something.”

Taking a deep breath for courage, I look at Cass, who gives me a brief, decisive nod. “Tell her, or I will,” he demands.

“Cassidy… your father–” I stop my voice breaking. I swallow and try again. “Cassidy, you were named after your father… Cass Wild.”

Her eyes widened in stunned shock, her head swinging between us. I can see her wrestling with the revelation, her lips pressed into a thin line.

She stares directly at Cass. “You’re… my dad?” Her voice is barely a whisper, her expression torn between wonder and confusion.

Cass looks down at our daughter silently for a few seconds, something softening in his gaze. It’s like the truth is finally hitting him–Cassidy is his child. His anger is forgotten for the moment as he takes her in fully, as though he’s seeing himself reflected in her. “Yeah,” he says quietly, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m your dad.”

Cassidy stares at him, her eyes searching his face for any hint of the answers she needs, of the connection that’s suddenly changed everything. “Why didn’t you know about me?” she asks, her voice trembling.

I open my mouth, my own guilt and regrets pressing down like a weight. “Cassidy, sweetheart…” I reach out for her hand, but she pulls back, her gaze fixed on Cass, who’s staring at me with a look that makes my chest ache.

They both look hurt—more than hurt. The man I left behind, the one who never knew about the child he’d fathered, and my daughter, who thought I never kept secrets. They are both looking at me like I’m a stranger. I don’t know how to bridge the gap it’s made between me and them.

Cassidy’s gaze flits between us, her brows knitting together as a mixture of bewilderment and hurt spreads across her face. I can almost see her trying to stitch together the story she never knew existed, her childhood suddenly changing before her eyes.

Cass takes a shaky breath, his hands clenching at his sides before he finally speaks, his voice softening. “Cassidy, I never knew about you. If I had…” His words falter as though they’re too heavy to carry–weighted down with all the things he wants to say but can’t seem to find the words for.

Cassidy stares at him, her lips trembling as she processes his words. Her arms crossed tightly over her chest as though shielding herself from emotions too big to contain.

My heart twists, the consequences of all my decisions crashing down around me. “Cassidy, I didn’t mean to keep you from him. I thought I was doing what was best—for both of you.”

“Mom…” Cassidy’s voice trembles, and she looks up at me with an expression I’ve never seen before—one of loss, of something she doesn’t fully understand but can feel in her bones.

My voice breaks as I try to explain. “Cassidy, I never wanted to hurt you. I just wanted to keep you safe. I wanted to give you a simpler, normal life.’”

Cass turns to Cassidy, his voice hoarse. “I would have done my best to be there for you.” His eyes dart to mine. “For both of you—If I had known.” His gaze returns to our daughter.

Cassidy steps closer to him, her hand reaching out uncertainly, and he takes it, his fingers closing around hers with a gentleness that takes my breath away. At this moment, I see it—the connection between them, something pure and undeniable, an invisible bond that could never be broken.

My chest tightens, and my throat feels raw as I struggle to meet their eyes. The weight of my choices presses down on me, heavy and unrelenting, as the reality of what I’ve taken from them registers. “I thought I was protecting you… and doing the right thing for her.” My voice cracks, but I can’t take my eyes off them. Father and daughter are standing side by side, each one of us trying to make sense of this tangled past that’s now crashing into the present.

Cass pulls his gaze from Cassidy to me, his expression softening slightly. “Your mom and I, we’re going to try to work something out. So, I can get to know you, and you can get to know me—as your dad.”

I feel the words bubbling up, ready to argue, but one look at Cassidy’s hopeful eyes stops me. I swallow my pride, forcing myself to let Cass step in and take the lead.

Cassidy’s eyes flick between us, her expression a mix of yearning and uncertainty. “You’re Cass Wild, a rock star. Are you—are you really my dad?” Her voice is quiet as if she’s afraid that speaking the words might make him disappear.

Cass’s gaze fills with emotion, his hand brushing over her shoulder with a tenderness that makes me ache. “Yes, Cassidy,” he says, his voice steady. “I’m your dad. And I’m here now.”

The words hang in the air, a promise that feels fragile but powerful, one that binds us all in ways I’m not prepared for.

Five

Cass

The ocean stretches endlessly this morning. Its steady rhythm usually calms me, but today, it’s just a blur—an empty expanse that mirrors the storm of thoughts I can’t quiet.

Kendrick will be here soon, bringing Cassidy, my daughter, with her. My daughter—the words seem strange. I have a daughter and can’t wait to get closer to her—and her mother. The idea fills me with a strange mix of nerves and excitement, a blend of emotions I haven’t felt since those early days on stage when Kendrick was my opening act.

Twelve years ago, Kendrick was the spark that lit me up. Just thinking about those nights—the way she moved on stage, her voice laced with something so pure and pristine that it captivated everyone—sends me back. I remember the rush Ifelt when our eyes would meet across a crowded room or right before a show. And those nights we spent together, tangled up in each other’s arms—losing all track of time.

The salty breeze carries me back to that last night together, a memory etched so vividly that it feels like I’m reliving it. It was bitter-sweet. I didn’t realize she was saying goodbye–if I would have known… I finally give in and let my mind drift back to that night.

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