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It turned out to be the right call. After two hours, heavy discussion, and one awkward family dinner (per Evie’s request), we found a solution everyone could live with.

I retained sole legal custody. She’d continue living with me full time, but during the school year and football season, she’d spend every other weekend with the Andersons, who were officially moving to London. Summers and holidays would be divided between them and my parents according to an agreed schedule.

The Andersons struggled with having no legal authority over major decisions, but they accepted a written agreement guaranteeing their input on important milestones, though the final decision would be mine.

It wasn’t everything they wanted. It wasn’t everything I wanted either. But it was fair.

Evie had never grasped the full stakes of the situation, which had been by design, but she’d been ecstatic over us “making up.” She just knew that she could still live with me, I wasn’t sad anymore, and she got to see her grandparents on a regular basis. As far as she was concerned, all was right with the world.

Although the Andersons and I would never be close—our personalities were too different, and our history too fraught—we were willing to be civil and cooperative for Evie’s sake. That was the best I could ask for, and that was enough for me.

“The paperwork is all settled. Congratulations,” Harry said a week after my visit with the Andersons. “This is the best outcome we could’ve hoped for.”

I let out a long-held breath. It was done. “Thank you. I appreciate your help and the rush job on this.”

“Any time. If you need anything else, you know where to find me.”

I hung up, the weight on my shoulders finally gone. After months of angst, the solution to everything had been a conversation. An open, honest one. That was it.

Carina and my mom had been right. Communication had been the missing piece all along

“Was that Harry?” Carina exited the bathroom wearing one of my old Blackcastle shirts. Her hair was damp from the shower, and when she crossed the room to join me, she smelled like the citrusy shampoo I loved so much. “Did the Andersons sign?”

“Yeah,” I said softly. “They did. And you were right.”

“About what?”

I rested my forehead against hers, our lips brushing. “Everything.”

CHAPTER 53

NOAH

THREE WEEKS LATER

I twisted around to look at Evie, who was bouncing excitedly in the back seat. “You ready?”

“Born ready,” she declared.

“Alright, then let’s go. Go, go, go!” I cheered as Evie grabbed the balloons and scrambled out of the car. “If you beat me to the entrance, you get an extra ice cream.”

She squealed and ran faster, her balloons bobbing in the air. I trailed behind, putting in just enough effort to make it look like I wasn’t trying to let her win. She skidded to a halt in front of the building just as Carina walked out, her eyes glued to her phone.

However, the sound of Evie’s glee caught her attention, and she looked up. Her face bloomed with happy surprise when she saw us.

“Hi! We came to pick you up!” Evie thrust the balloons at her. They were shaped like different animals, but each one had Congrats! scrawled across it in the same big, bubbly letters. “Happy first day of work!”

“She was really excited to see your new job,” I said, coming up behind Evie. “She was even more excited about the balloons.”

Carina laughed, taking the balloon bouquet with one hand and wrapping her other arm around Evie in a tight hug. “Thank you, sweetie. I love them. They’re adorable.”

“I picked them out myself,” Evie informed her. “Daddy wanted to get the lizard one, but I said no because it was ugly.”

“It wasn’t ugly, it was unique,” I corrected her. “Unique-looking animals need love too.”

“Sure, but not when it’s that unique,” she said, eliciting a fresh peal of laughter from my girlfriend.

I shook my head, knowing I’d never win that battle. I turned to Carina instead, my lungs expanding when she smiled at me. No matter how long we’d been together, she still had the power to take my breath away.