Page 33 of No Greater Love
Tasha
Ready to pick me up, cowboy?
Despite my nerves, I smiled as I typed back:
Nate
As ready as I'll ever be.
At exactly six, I was loading Paige and her overnight bag into the car for the drive to Sophia's house. She chattered excitedly about her plans with Madison while I tried to calm my nerves.
"Madison says she's going to teach me how to French braid," Paige said, bouncing in her seat. "And we're going to make friendship bracelets and watch movies. She even said we could stay up until ten!"
"That's very generous of her," I said, pulling into Sophia's driveway.
The Mitchell house was a modest two-story that somehow managed to look both lived-in and welcoming. Sophia opened the door before we even knocked, Madison appearing behind her with a grin.
"Right on time," Sophia said, stepping aside to let us in. "Madison's been planning activities all afternoon."
"We're going to have thebesttime," Madison announced, immediately claiming Paige's bag. "Come on, I'll show you my room."
As the girls disappeared upstairs in a flurry of excited chatter, I found myself standing in Sophia's living room feeling oddly nervous. Not about the date—well, not entirely about the date—but about this moment of domestic normalcy, this glimpse into what family life looked like when it wasn't just you against the world.
"She'll be fine," Sophia said gently, reading my expression. "Madison's great with kids."
"I know. I just?—"
"Dad worry. I get it." She smiled. "Trust me, they'll have more fun without us hovering."
"Kia ora, Nate."
I turned to see Jack emerging from what looked like a home office, laptop in hand. He looked more relaxed than I'd ever seen him at the hospital—jeans and a rugby shirt instead of his paramedic uniform, hair slightly mussed like he'd been running his hands through it.
"Jack," I nodded. "How's it going?"
"Can't complain, mate. Just catching up on some paperwork." He set the laptop aside and studied me for a moment. "You look nervous. Big night?"
"Something like that."
Jack's expression shifted, becoming more serious. "Listen, I wanted to thank you again. For the advice you gave me during that whole... situation. Really helped me sort my head out."
I knew he was referring to whatever had happened between him and Sophia in New Zealand—the "hiccup" he'd mentioned in his texts. "No need to thank me. From what I can see, you two worked it out."
"Yeah, we did." Jack glanced toward Sophia, who was tidying up the kitchen, and his expression softened. "Though I have to say, you were right about one thing. I'm adamnlucky man. Kicking way past my coverage on this one."
I followed his gaze to Sophia, thinking about everything I knew about her— her competence, her strength, the way she'd handled my crisis with Paige's babysitter like it was nothing. "She's not usually one for second chances, so she must like you an awful damn lot."
"Yeah, mate, you're not joking." Jack shook his head, a slightly amazed smile crossing his face. "Still can't quite believe she took me back after I mucked things up so thoroughly."
"Well, you must have done something right."
"Eventually." He paused, then looked at me directly. "But seriously, I appreciate the hell out of the advice you gave me. I owe you one big."
"Nah," I said, meaning it. "You don't owe me anything. It's what friends do."
Jack's expression warmed. "Well, I appreciate it all the same."
Before I could respond, the sound of giggling from upstairs reminded me why I was here. Sophia appeared with a knowing smile.
