Page 14 of Wild Hearts

When the burgers were cooking on the stove, I leaned a hip against the counter. "I asked Dakota if she wanted to meet the rest of the family. Scarlett wanted to host a dinner."

"Was she okay with it?"

I nodded. "Should you be there too? I don't want to overwhelm her."

"I can come. I talked to everyone when I found out about Dakota, but we didn't get a chance to catch up. It was kind of a whirlwind."

"Thanks for helping us navigate this situation."

"That's my job," Addison said, reminding me that she wasn't here because of our past relationship. This was a job for her.

Dakota returned with her headphones around her neck. "Can I lay down for a few minutes?"

"I was thinking your room would be the first on the left atthe top of the stairs." It had a view of the back yard with the tall trees. It would be quiet if she was prone to sleeping in.

Dakota left without another word.

"I'm hoping she'll want to move in with me soon, and I can get her enrolled in school."

"I think she'd like that."

"This feels like it's moving fast yet not quick enough. I've lost so much time."

"You have to be patient. You can take two steps forward, then one back. She might be comfortable with something today but not tomorrow."

"I can do that." I felt like I was holding my breath, waiting for something to go wrong.

"Her grandparents aren't happy about her staying here. They want her to stay with them in Virginia. It's the only place she's ever lived. She has her school, friends, and her family."

"I don't want to take her away from everything she's ever known. But this is where my support system is. I own a stake in the family business, and I have my cousins who want to help. Her family is bigger now. Do you think it's wrong to ask her to move here?"

"Not at all. This is where you live and want to make a home."

"Are they going to fight me for custody?" The possibility had been lingering in the back of my mind.

"I don't know. They might want visitation. But I said that was up to you."

"I have time to think about it?"

"You might decide that it would be best if you spent all your time with Dakota at first. You need to get to know her without any outside influence. When she's settled in, and you feel more confident about your relationship, you could ask them to visit, or the two of you could travel to Virginia. I think Dakota might like that, but at the same time, it might bring up painful memories. You're going to have to take things day by day."

"I can do that." The prospect of being a father was so overwhelming at times. There were so many decisions I had to make. But when I thought about ice-skating with her this afternoon and our discussion, I was excited about our future. Getting to know my daughter for the first time was everything.

4

ADDISON

When I met Walker with Dakota that afternoon at the outdoor skating rink, I was struck by how natural they looked together. No one would question that she was his daughter, and they looked so at ease together.

I was happy that they'd had a good outing. So far, Dakota was okay visiting her father and staying with her grandparents. What would happen when it was time for her to move in with him full-time?

I opened the door to the fridge, searching for salad toppings. Now that it was just us in the kitchen, I felt vulnerable. Dakota served as an effective barrier whenever she was in the room. Would Walker want to address our past now that Dakota had left the room?

I wasn't ready for that discussion. When he enlisted and then broke things off with me, those were some of my darkest days. I didn't feel like I'd ever feel good again. Even if it was youthful naivete, I'd thought we had a future together, but clearly, he didn't.

I pulled out tomatoes and carrots, placing them on the counter.

Walker grabbed a knife and a cutting board. "I think I have a shredder around here somewhere."

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