Page 19 of Falling for the Single Dad Firefighter

Her smile is worth any inconvenience. "In that case, I accept."

We finish our coffee and the muffins—blueberry, my mother's specialty—talking easily about her plans for the school day and my upcoming shift schedule. As she gathers her things, I find myself already calculating when we might see each other again, already missing her though she hasn't yet left.

She disappears briefly into the bathroom and returns with her hair pulled back, face freshened. The sight of her in my t-shirt stirs something possessive in me—a desire to see her like this more often, comfortable and at ease in my space.

"Keep it," I say when she begins to apologize for borrowing the shirt. "It looks better on you anyway."

Her cheeks flush, but she nods, gathering her sweater and purse. As we head to the door, I help her slip her sweater on,an unnecessarily chivalrous gesture that gives me an excuse to brush my hands over her shoulders, to stand close enough to catch the lingering scent of my soap on her skin.

At the truck, I open the passenger door for her, another small courtesy that feels right, feels important somehow. The morning is cool, the sky clear with the promise of a beautiful day ahead. As we drive through the quiet streets of Fox Ridge, Rebecca's hand finds mine on the console between us.

"I had a thought," she says, her voice casual though her fingers tighten around mine. "About Mia."

"Oh?" I glance at her, curious.

"The school has a family pizza night next Friday. All the kindergarten families are invited—games, pizza, that sort of thing. It might be a good opportunity for her to see us together in a setting that makes sense. No pressure, just... normalizing us being in the same space."

The thoughtfulness of the suggestion touches me. It's exactly the kind of careful approach Mia needs—nothing abrupt or confusing, just a gradual shift in how she sees the adults in her life.

"That's perfect," I tell her. "She loves pizza almost as much as she loves playing games."

"It's settled then," Rebecca says, satisfaction in her tone. "Our first official outing as... whatever we are."

"Whatever we are," I echo, liking the openness of the phrase, the room it leaves for growth.

We pull up in front of her apartment building all too soon. I park but leave the engine running, aware of the time ticking away before we both need to be at our respective jobs.

"Thank you," she says, turning to face me. "For last night. For this morning. For... wanting to figure it out."

"Thank you for being worth figuring it out for," I reply, meaning every word.

She leans across the console to kiss me, a soft, sweet press of lips that carries the promise of more to come. When she pulls back, her eyes are bright with something that looks a lot like happiness.

"I'll see you at pickup today?" she asks, her hand on the door handle.

"I'll be there," I promise. "Have a good day, Ms. Brown."

She laughs at the formality, a sound I'm quickly becoming addicted to. "You too, Mr. Lewis."

I watch her walk to her building, turning once to wave before disappearing inside. Sometimes the best plans are the ones you never make.

Epilogue – Rebecca

Two Years Later

I stretch, savoring the warmth of the covers and the distant sounds of Samuel and Mia in the kitchen—the gentle clatter of dishes, their muffled voices, an occasional burst of laughter.

I glance at the simple gold band on my left hand, still new enough that I find myself looking at it throughout the day. Four months married, and the world still feels like a gift I get to unwrap every morning.

The door creaks open, and Mia's face appears in the gap—wide brown eyes, dark pigtails slightly askew.

"Becca?" she whispers, using the nickname she created herself. "Are you awake?"

"I'm awake, sweetheart," I tell her, sitting up against the pillows. "Come on in."

She doesn't need a second invitation, scampering across the room and climbing onto the bed. She settles beside me, her small body warm against mine.

"Daddy's making pancakes," she informs me solemnly. "With blueberries. And he said to tell you that the coffee is ready whenever you are."

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