Page 37 of Caleb

“I know,” he said, his gaze unwavering. “And I’m ready to do that. Just... let me try.”

Taylor looked down at Liam again, her heart aching with love and fear for the little boy she’d done everything to protect.

She had seen Caleb with Liam, how he played with him, made him laugh, and treated him with such gentle care. It was impossible to ignore how natural he seemed, how much Liam adored him.

But the question lingered, heavy and uncertain: could he be a good father? Was he ready to take on the responsibility, the sacrifices, the sheer enormity of what it meant to be there for a child—theirchild? The doubt gnawed at her, mingling with the flicker of hope she was almost afraid to feel.

Finally, she nodded, her voice soft. “One step at a time.”

Caleb’s shoulders sagged with relief, and he nodded. “One step at a time.”

CHAPTER17

Caleb sat on the edge of the hotel bed, the stillness pressing in on him. His hands were clasped together, his elbows braced against his knees, and his eyes fixed on the worn carpet. A low hum from the air conditioner filled the silence, but it did little to drown out the thoughts crashing through his mind.

I’m a father.

The words rolled over and over, each repetition hitting with a new wave of weight. He’d said it to himself a dozen times since the hospital, but it still didn’t feel real. He had a son. A little boy with his eyes, his laugh—and his allergy to strawberries, of all things.

As he thought about Liam’s reaction, the fear in Taylor’s eyes, and how her voice cracked when she told Liam to breathe, fear clutched him. That moment—seeing Liam struggling to breathe—had been enough to terrify him. But the truth that came after? That had shaken him to his core.

He leaned back, rubbing a hand over his face, trying to steady the thoughts running wild in his head.

How had he not recognized all the signs immediately? The dimple in Liam’s cheek when he smiled, his brow furrowed when he was deep in thought—it was all right there.

They had been right there in front of him—the way Liam’s smile mirrored his own, the stubborn set of his jaw, even Taylor’s lingering anger and resistance every time they edged too close to the truth.

No wonder she’d been so guarded. No wonder she’d hated him.

And yet, she hadn’t taken the easy way out. She hadn’t walked away from the life growing inside her, even after he had walked away from her. She’d carried their child, raised him, and done it all alone.

Their child.

His son.

The realization hit him with the force of a runaway horse, and the weight of it stole his breath.

And Caleb had missed it all—the first three years of his son’s life.

Three years of firsts: the first steps, the first words, the first toothless grin. He’d missed watching Liam grow from a tiny, helpless infant into a curious toddler and now a bright, energetic little boy.

The weight of those lost years settled heavily on him. It was time he could never get back, and the ache of it was sharper than anything he’d ever felt.

And yet, it wasn’t just the revelation of fatherhood that had his stomach in knots. It was the nagging, inescapable fear clawing at the back of his mind.

What if I’m not good enough? What if I screw it up?

He thought of his father, the cold, distant man who’d been more interested in another woman than his own family. The way he’d spoken to Caleb like a burden, a disappointment, a problem to manage. Caleb’s stomach churned as the memories resurfaced, sharp and bitter.

His father had always been so controlled, so unyielding, yet somehow so fragile in his anger. And Caleb had spent his entire life trying to prove he wasn’t like him—by working harder, staying out of trouble, and keeping everyone at arm’s length.

And yet, he’d become as controlling as his father.

But now? Now, he had a son. And he couldn’t stop wondering:Could I be different? Or am I just fooling myself?

He pushed to his feet, restless energy coursing through him as he paced the small room. The carpet muffled his footsteps, but the movement did little to calm his mind. The walls felt like they were closing in, the air thick and heavy.

Children mirror their parents. Caleb had heard that saying countless times, but it hit differently now that he had a son.

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