Page 15 of Wild For You

“Exactly like daisies,” I echoed, bending to pluck one and tucking it behind Haley's ear, my fingers brushing softly against the little girl's curls. A silent exchange of gratitude passed between Nico and I; his eyes lingered on me just a moment longer than necessary, stirring something inside my chest.

“Think Miss Cathy will have her lemonade stand out tomorrow?” I asked, the thought of the elderly woman's homemade refreshments bringing a nostalgic ache to my reminiscences of childhood summers spent in the embrace of Lawson Ridge.

“Hope so,” Nico said with a grin. “Haley's been asking about it all week.”

“Because it's the bestest lemonade ever!” Haley declared, bouncing on her toes.

“Bestest, huh?” I teased, meeting Nico's eyes with shared amusement. There was an ease to our banter, a rhythm that felt as natural as the ebb and flow of the gentle breeze that tousled my hair.

“Lawson Ridge feels like it's from another era,” I observed, my gaze flitting across the well-tended gardens where roses and daisies nodded in the gentle evening breeze.

"Seems like a good place to lay down roots," Nico replied, his voice low and contemplative.

“Speaking of which…” I began, biting my lip in a mix of curiosity and hesitance. “Your arrival back caught me by surprise. What brings back to Lawson Ridge, if you don't mind me asking?”

Nico's stride did not falter, but I caught a flash of something—a fleeting storm—cross his features before he masked it with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. “Family,” he said, and then, after a moment's pause, “My brother got into some trouble.Jail time. And I couldn't let his kid—" his voice cracked ever so slightly, "—end up in foster care.”

I watched as he glanced down at Haley, who remained blissfully unaware of the gravity of our conversation, skipping over cracks in the pavement and humming a little tune.

“Wow,” I whispered, my heart reaching out for the man beside me, whose shoulders bore invisible burdens. “That's... incredibly brave of you. It's a big thing, taking on that responsibility.”

“Didn't feel like there was much choice,” he admitted, and I saw the telltale clench of his jaw. “He's my nephew. Blood.”

“Still,” I pressed, “it takes more than blood to raise a child. It takes love, patience... You're giving him a chance.”

“Isn't that what we all deserve?” Nico asked, looking directly at me now, his gaze intense yet vulnerable.

“Everyone deserves that,” I agreed, knowing my next words held weight heavier than the evening shadows. “And if you ever need help, or someone to talk to, I'm here. We all are, this whole quirky town.”

“Thank you.”

“Look, Daddy! The moon's chasing us!” Haley's voice, brimming with wonder, cut through the thickening dusk. She pointed towards the sky where a shy crescent moon hung, trailing after us.

Nico chuckled—a deep, comforting sound that seemed to ripple through the cool evening air. “That's right, pumpkin. It's playing tag with the stars.”

I watched the exchange, my heart swelling at the sight of father and daughter sharing this simple moment. I could see the love in Nico's eyes, a love so palpable it almost seemed to cast its own glow against the purpling sky.

“Your daddy is quite the hero, isn't he?” I said, offering Haley a smile that mirrored the child's own innocent joy.

“Uh-huh,” Haley nodded vigorously, her curls bouncing. “He's like Superman, but without the cape!”

“Every hero has their own kind of cape,” I mused aloud, my gaze tenderly flitting from Haley to Nico. “Some are just harder to see.”

“Heroes need some help sometimes too,” Nico admitted, his voice low but carrying a thread of warmth that hadn't been there before.

“Then consider me your friendly neighborhood sidekick,” I replied playfully, feeling a connection to Nico that went beyond words.

“Sidekick, huh?” Nico looked at me, a spark of something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “I could use one of those.”

“Good, because I've got a mean right hook and I make a meaner lasagna,” I quipped, hoping my light-heartedness would ease the weight I sensed on his shoulders.

“Lasagna, you say? You're hired.” His laughter mingled with Haley’s.

My thoughts swirled like the leaves that rustled in the gentle evening breeze. I realized then, with a clarity as vivid as the painted heavens above, that my guarded heart was beginning to unlock—one stolen glance, one subtle touch at a time. And as Lawson Ridge settled into the twilight embrace, I wondered if Nico felt that same sense of belonging, that same tentative hope blossoming in his chest.

“Tomorrow's another game,” I said, my voice soft but steady, “Will I see you there?”

“Wouldn't miss it,” Nico assured me, his smile reaching his eyes in a way that promised more than just shared bleacher seats.

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