Page 61 of Pucking Fate

Her eyes soften, filling with emotion. “Okay, fine. But you can’t spoil him every time he says it.”

“I know. Just the first time,” I tell her with a grin.

“I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks. I’m happy too.”

When I step inside, Maya’s eyes flicker to Finley, who’s telling Preston and Elle, “We went to the park and played on the swings and the slide. Oh, and I called Christian ‘Dad’ today!”

“That’s…great, Finley,” Preston tells him, and even his voice is a little shaky.

Maya looks at me then, and I can see the uncertainty in her eyes, the fear that has nothing to do with my bonding with Finley. But there’s something else, too—something that tells me she’s thinking about us—me and her.

There’s a long, heavy silence between us, but I decide to break it.

“I know you still don’t fully trust me,” I start quietly. “But, Maya, I will do anything, absolutely anything in this world…to hear you call me daddy.”

She puffs out a laugh and shakes her head, causing Preston and Elle to glance over their shoulders at us. Then Maya smiles and crosses her arms over her chest, her guard going up.

“But seriously, I love Finley,” I continue, my voice quiet and shaky. “I love him, and I want to be a part of his life. And I want to be a part of your life, too. I know I screwed up before, but I’m asking you to give me a chance to make it right. To be the father he deserves and the man you need me to be.”

Maya’s brown eyes fill with tears, and she looks away, biting her lip.

“I’m not asking you to forget everything that’s happened,” I say, taking a step closer. “I know it’s not going to be easy, especially during the season, but I’m willing to put in the work. Whatever it takes. However long it takes. Don’t give up on us.”

Her gaze drops to the ground, her lips pressed into a thin line. For a long moment, she doesn’t respond, and the silence is a weight pressing down on me. I feel my heart pounding in my chest, each second dragging longer than the last.

Finally, she exhales, her voice barely above a whisper. “Christian…I don’t know. Once you leave…the away games…even if you told me that you were faithful, I’m not sure if I would believe you.”

Her words hit me hard, but I don’t flinch. I know this is part of it. I know I can’t just expect her to put all her trust in me and it’s my own fault for earning the playboy reputation. “I get that,” I say, my voice steady but filled with sincerity. “I know I hurt you, and I’m sorry for everything, especially for my…reputation over the past five years. But I never stopped caring about you. And I’m not asking for a second chance today or tomorrow. I’m just asking for the opportunity to show you that I’m here, that I’m fully committed to you and Finley, for however long it takes. There could be a million women on the road, and I would only want you.”

She looks at me then, really looks at me. And for the first time, I see the conflict in her eyes. She wants to believe me, I can tell. There’s a part of her that still holds on to the good memories, to the trust she gave me to be her first, and the love we could have had before everything went wrong. But the hurt is there, too, and it runs deep.

“What happens when things get hard again?” she asks, her voice trembling slightly. “What if you decide it’s too much and you walk away? What if I let you back in and you break my heart all over again? Making things a mess with us is the last thing Finley needs.”

I take a deep breath, my chest aching. This is it. The moment of truth. “I’m not going anywhere, Maya. Not this time. I’m ready to face the hard stuff. I want to face it with you as a team. For Finley. For us.”

Her shoulders slump slightly, and she wipes at her eyes, looking more vulnerable than I’ve seen her in a long time. “I don’t know, Christian,” she whispers. “I just…I don’t know.”

I reach out, gently placing my hand on her arm, and to my relief, she doesn’t pull away from the touch in front of her brother and Elle, and in front of Finley. “I’m not asking for answers right now,” I say softly. “Just promise me that you’ll think about it.”

Maya’s eyes flicker, and I see a flash of something—hope, maybe?—in her expression. She nods, though it’s hesitant, and for the first time, I feel like we’ve taken a small step forward.

“I’ll think about it,” she finally says, her voice barely audible. “But Christian… no more empty promises. If you want this—if you really want to be part of our lives—then you have to mean it. No more disappearing when things get tough. No other women.”

I nod, my chest swelling with determination. “I mean it, Maya. I’m all in.”

She doesn’t say anything more; just gives me a small, uncertain smile before I turn and walk back to my car. I can’t rush her, and I know she needs to know that I have patience. The door closes behind me as my heart still races, but this time it’s different. There’s a spark of hope, and I’m not going to let that go.

From the driveway, I can still hear Finley’s chatter as he plays with Preston inside the house. I can still see the way he looked up at me today—calling me ‘Dad’ for the first time, like he’s been waiting his whole life to say it, to find me. And I know, without a doubt, that I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I never let him down again.

I’ll prove to both of them that I’m worth this second chance.

I climb into the SUV, gripping the steering wheel tightly for a moment, letting the weight of the day settle in. This is just the beginning. I know there’s still a long way to go, but for the first time, I feel like I’m moving in the right direction.

I’m about to start the car when my phone dings in my pocket with a new text message. I take it out to read it before driving off…and thank god I did because it’s from Maya.

Do you want to stay for a while?

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