“And you’ll give it to him.”
“But . . .”
She sighed. “Rissa?”
“I want her,” I confessed. “I love her, but I have to think about his needs first.”
“Why does it have to be either or? You can have it all.”
“She’s not ready.”
“Yet.”
“I don’t know that she’ll ever be. She’s stubborn.”
She leaned against the dresser, bumped her shoulder against me. “We know a few stubborn people. And all of them were brought to their knees by the person they least expected. It’s just your turn.”
My shoulders fell. “I’m scared.”
“Of Rissa?”
“Of living without Gemma, of failing as a father, of losing her. I don’t want to walk away from her, but I don’t want to just be here waiting on something that might never happen.”
“That’s a decision you don’t have to make today.” She looped her arm in mine. “Right now, you need to get that diaper.”
“Chuckling, I peered at her. “Do you really think I have what it takes to be a good father?”
“Thebestfather. I know I’m not the only one who’s told you this.”
She wasn’t, but I needed to hear it fromher.
Bliss hugged me. “Everything’s going to work out—with Ezraandwith Rissa. I promise.”
I breathed a sigh of relief as her words washed over me as the pieces of my life started to gel together.
What I needed to do . . .
Where I needed to be . . .
Who I needed to be with . . .
And it started with Ezra and ended with Rissa.
eight
BABY, I’M SCARED OF YOU
LARISSA
“How much longer?”
“Ten minutes.” Asa reentered the room, setting the baby monitor on the kitchen counter. He approached me, increasing the speed and the incline on the treadmill.
“Ten?” I gripped the rails as I jogged at a brisk pace. “I thought it was five?”
“Nah, baby.”
“Are you sure?”
