Page 86 of The Single Dad Project

“Facts.” She grinned. “All facts.”

Smiling, he tipped his head back, squinting up at the sky before lowering his chin and looking at her again.

“One thing you should never apologize for is loving that little girl. No child can ever have too much love. Never.” He cocked his head. “When Sydney and I married, I didn’t expect to bond with Patience. I still grieved for Tonia and Matteo, and I didn’t want to love her baby because one, it felt like a betrayal to the wife and son I’d lost. And second, I refused to get attached to another child because the pain of losing my own almost broke me.”

Flo had been younger when Sydney first returned to town and she and Cole got together, but she remembered the grieving, lost man he’d been. And how he’d emotionally shut a part of himself down. She also recalled how the town’s rebel and her baby girl had brought him back.

“But I came to love Patience like my own. Sheismy own. That’s my little girl. There’s nostepdaughter when it comes to her. She’s just my daughter. But she had a biological father who not only wanted to be in the picture, but desired an active role in her life. Though I was married to Sydney, though I was there every day, and I knew Sydney loved me, I felt threatened.” His gaze unfocused as if he stared back into the years when his marriage and fatherhood had been new. “What if Patience loved Daniel more? What if she didn’t need me? What if Sydney saw him and realized that being with Patience’s biological father would be best for all of them? Didn’t matter that Daniel was married as well, I was scared of losing the joy and happiness that I’d found.”

“I didn’t know any of this,” Flo whispered.

“It was tough to admit it to myself much less Sydney. I felt small, petty. I mean, who begrudges their child a relationship with their father? And yet, I wanted to be Daddy. I wanted to be the one she ran to, shouting my name when I came home from work. I wanted to be her superhero. And I didn’t want to share that special place with anyone.”

God, he nailed exactly how she felt. And it didn’t matter that she’d only known Justine for weeks. The little girl had burrowed inside her heart, and there was no excavating her out.

“What did you do? How did you get over it?”

Cole huffed out a chuckle and raked his fingers through his dark curls.

“I can’t lie, it wasn’t easy at first. But Flo, children have the most amazing capacity to love. It’s awe-inspiring. And we can learn so much from them—it’s also why we have to protect them. They don’t understand the concept of compartmentalizing affection. They just give and give. Patience loved me just as much as Daniel. Just as much as Sydney. For her, it was the more, the merrier.” He softly laughed. “Daniel’s Dad, and I’m Daddy. And I’m betting Justine is the same. Your relationship with her is newer, but in her childlike heart, loving her mother doesn’t subtract from her affection for you. That heart just expands to include all of you. Now, as far as you and Adam...”

Cole studied her for several long moments, and he reached out, clasped her hand in his and squeezed.

“Flo, you can’t let your fear be greater than your hope. Hope propels you forward even when your situation looks to be at its worst. It won’t let you quit or give up on your dreams, your aspirations. Hope will let you love. But fear will hold you prisoner, won’t let you trust. Fear is a cage and love picks the lock. Don’t be afraid to love, little sister. It will set you free to truly live.”

Don’t be afraid to love.

So simple yet such a huge ask. But... An image that she hadn’t allowed herself to picture wavered across her mind. Hope—that hope Cole spoke of—whispered through her like dandelion seeds floating on a summer wind. Scattered, delicate, but undeniable.

“Flo!” The high-pitched and happy yell echoed across the front lawn, reaching her and Cole.

And hearing it, Flo couldn’t contain the smile that curved her mouth or the delight that bloomed behind her breastbone.

“Oh yeah. You’re in love,” Cole murmured, turning as Justine raced up the hill, her little legs and arms pumping as she ran toward them.

Flo knelt, arms open, and caught Justine when she crashed into her, thin arms wrapping around Flo’s neck. Laughing, Flo hugged her, that little-girl scent of hers another embrace.

“Hey, Jussy,” Flo greeted her.

“Hi, Flo! I missed you!” Justine palmed Flo’s face on either side and smooshed her lips together. “You didn’t come see me today.”

Laughing, Flo squished Justine’s face, too. The little girl giggled then gave Flo another hug, setting her head on Flo’s shoulder. Love swelled in her chest, and she tightened her own arms around Justine.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. You know I love hanging out with you. But I wanted to give you and your mom special time together. I missed you.” Flo tickled her belly, and that bright laughter broke through Flo’s saddest, loneliest thoughts like dawn cresting for a new day.

“The famous Flo. Again.”

Flo slightly stiffened at the new voice. True, she’d only heard it once before, but it was emblazoned on her memory. She didn’t see Cole behind her, but she felt him move closer.

Slowly rising, Flo faced Adam’s ex-wife, Jennifer.

She was a beautiful woman. Tall, curvy, with thick, natural curls, Flo could easily envision her and Adam together. Justine had her beautiful dark brown, thickly lashed eyes and her fine bone structure. Though Jennifer wore a polite smile, it didn’t reach her eyes. They were hard, wary.

Jennifer Reed was not here to make nice.

“Hi, Jennifer. It’s nice to see you again,” Flo said, keeping her voice even, pleasant. “This is my brother, Cole Dennison. Cole, this is Justine’s mother, Jennifer.”

A gleam entered Jennifer’s gaze when she turned to Cole, the hard brown softening to a warm chocolate.

---