Page 42 of The One Who Changed Everything

The sound of a key in the lock made my stomach tighten. Sophia, completely oblivious to my hesitation, bounced on her heels.

"Mom's home!" she announced, grinning as the door swung open.

Samantha stepped inside, looking exhausted but instantly alert when she saw me standing in her kitchen. Her eyes flicked between me and Sophia, then to the counter full of taco fixings.

"You made it," I said, watching her reaction carefully.

She dropped her bag by the door and toed off her shoes. "And you’re… making dinner?" Her gaze narrowed slightly, like she couldn’t decide whether to be impressed or annoyed.

I cleared my throat, wiping my hands on a dish towel. "Figured we’d get a head start. Didn’t seem right leaving Sophia to fend for herself."

Sam exhaled, tension still clinging to her shoulders. "I was only running a little late."

"I know." I held up my hands in surrender. "Just seemed like a good way to help."

Sophia rushed over, grabbing her mom’s hand. "It was Evan’s idea! And we’re having tacos!"

Sam’s gaze softened at her daughter’s excitement, but when she looked at me again, there was something guarded there.

"I appreciate it," she said finally, walking toward the sink to wash her hands. "I just… wasn’t expecting you to stay."

I wasn’t sure if that was an invitation to leave, but before I could say anything, Sophia was dragging her to the counter, pointing out every detail of our handiwork.

“Can Dad stay for dinner, please, pretty please?”

My eyes widened, and I barely stopped myself from choking on air. Dad?

Sam froze. Her back was to me, but I saw the way her shoulders tensed, her hands gripping the edge of the counter like she needed something solid to hold onto.

Sophia, oblivious to the sudden shift in the air, rocked on her heels, looking between us with hopeful eyes.

I didn’t know what to say. My heart pounded in my chest, but I couldn’t let it show. Couldn’t let Sophia see just how much those words had cracked something open inside me.

Sam turned around slowly, her expression carefully neutral, but I caught the flicker of panic in her eyes before she smoothed it away.

“Your dad would love to stay,” I offered hesitantly, “but I actually should be going. I’m supposed to meet up with some of the guys from church for a Bible study tonight.”

Sophia frowned, crossing her arms. “I don’t want you to go.”

The words hit me square in the chest, far heavier than a seventh grader’s plea should’ve been. I glanced at Sam, half-expecting her to step in, to tell Sophia not to put me on the spot like that. But she didn’t. She just stood there, her expression unreadable, waiting. Maybe testing me.

I cleared my throat, rubbing the back of my neck. "Soph, I—"

"You made tacos," she interrupted, her voice taking on that stubborn edge I'd already started to recognize. "And we’re all here. You can go to Bible study next time."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "That’s not how commitments work, kiddo."

"But you’re committed to us, too," she countered.

I didn’t know what to say to that. Not when she was right.

Samantha finally spoke up. “Soph, that’s not fair to Evan. He did us a big favor tonight by picking you up. But we can’t ask him to give up his whole evening on short notice.”

Sophia’s face fell, her lower lip jutting out just slightly. “I know,” she mumbled, poking at a stray shred of cheese on the counter. “I just… I like when he’s here.”

My chest tightened. I wasn’t sure I had the right to feel the warmth that spread through me at her words, but I did.

“I like it when I’m here, too,” I admitted.

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