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“Do you know who I am?” he asked her. What did a man say to his child when he had just discovered she existed? He had no clue what her mother had told her about him. Not a clue. He suspected it hadn’t been good. “I am your daddy. My name is Nick. But you can call me Daddy, or Dad, if you want. I am very happy to meet you. I’m sorry things seem so scary right now. I promise everything will be ok. I’ll make it so. I’m going to take good care of you forever now. I promise.”
Robin shot him a look filled with approval.
“I want my Noah.” His daughter blinked at him, her tiny mouth trembling and her face red from her tears.
Jude left after telling Nova that she’d be ok with Nick now. Jude was going to find Noah. Nick had faith in Jude to do the best she could today. She hadn’t made any promises, but she was going to try. “I know. And Miss Jude is going to go look for him right now, too. Just like she found you and brought you to Daddy where you belong. But for now, I think you and I have a lot to do today, too.”
“I have to go to the bathroom.” Nova climbed off Robin’s lap and disappeared to the restroom.
He looked at Robin as the enormity of what he was facing hit him. How was he supposed to do this? “I have no clothes for her; nothing that a little kid needs. I’m still bunking in the back room here. I need to talk to Martin or Chandler as soon as possible. They have a few places for rent. I need a decent house. Today. It has to be today. But I don’t have more than the clothes on my back. I just never bothered. I…use an old sleeping bag I had in the back of my rig before I sold it. I sleep on that couch right there.” Robin just looked at him from her lighter blue eyes that were filled with compassion. Calm and steady. Waiting. For him to get to where he needed to get? Maybe. “What am I supposed to do first?”
“House. I would be happy to take her with me to get a few things for her, if you like. That would buy you some time to…handle what you need to handle. We can put the phones here on forward to Chandler’s cell, and put a sign in the window about a family emergency and to call that number,” Robin said, taking charge. Becoming a goddess to Nick in that moment. He would forever be in her debt and worship the ground she walked on for her stepping in right at that moment. He wasn’t stupid—he knew his own weaknesses. “I can get her some clothes and supplies, while you handle the housing? Divide and conquer? It might help distract her. You’re probably going to have some rough nights for a while. Until she gets…settled. The boys were a little younger than she was when they lost their father. You’re facing nightmares and grief and questions and terror, Nick. She’s been traumatized. And she’s not going to trust you, or come to you for comfort yet.”
Nick nodded. He pulled out his credit card. That…was something he could do. He had never been stupid with his money. Part of the reason Selena had dumped him back then—she’d said he was too cheap to let go of a penny and live a little. “There’s a thousand-dollar-a-day limit. I have some cash as well.”
“I don’t think we’ll need quite that much, starting out. But we’ll grab her enough clothes for now. Some bedding and some…toys. She’ll need some toys. But not too many. You won’t want to overwhelm her right at first, either. Go. Find a house for you and two kids. Get some furniture, too. I’ll help you get her settled. You can do this. I promise.”
Just what a kid needed threatened to overwhelm him where he stood. He could only imagine what his daughter felt right now. “I’m not sure I can do this, Robbie. Be a father now. Not just to one kid, but there’s another one on his way here, now. What if he’s a little punk? What if I’m getting in way over my head? What if I screw this up completely and damage them both or something?”
Robin laughed quietly. To his surprise, her arms went around his waist and she hugged him. She definitely wasn’t running away from him now.
This wasn’t exactly how he’d pictured things going between them here. “You will be ok. And besides, isn’t it hardwired into Tyler DNA or something? Isn’t it Tylers take care of Tylers? Don’t be too proud—call in reinforcements. I know you have an army of nephews and nieces out there. In the meantime, I’m going to call Glenna. She has my daughter now, and the boys are headed there this afternoon after school. It’s spring break starting Monday. That’ll give you time to get them settled before Nova and Noah have to start school. I’ll see if Glenna can keep mine later than planned. I’ll help you get her settled in. You can do this, Nick. I know you can.”
He was glad someone thought he could.
