Cole

"Daisy, love," I ask. "Where are we going?"

Her grip is tight around my wrist as she guides me away from the parking lot. There's a park two blocks over. Gravel crunches beneath her cowgirl boots. A warm, pre-summer breeze tickles the stubble along my jaw. Everything is green and smells of decaying lilacs. The first few days in June have been hot, causing all the blooms to wilt.

A single streetlight is the only source of light as we cross the small grove of trees. We step over knotted roots and upturned stones. Then we cross another street, taking a left at the end. Ahead, I can see an urban park.

"Daisy," I repeat. "Where are we going?"

"To the playground," she replies. "We need to talk. Noel and Kinsley need time on their own, and so do we. We're due for a conversation. One we should've had years ago."

My stomach muscles clench in anticipation. Last time Daisy and I needed "time alone," we ended up snogging in the barn. Okay, we did more than snog. But I don't want to think about it. A pinch of me hopes that's what'll happen. But my morals stand in the way. She's with someone else. They had a child together. Unless they separated, I would never make a move on Daisy. It's just not right.

No matter how much I want her. Every time I look at her, my heart bleeds. My body pulses with need. I'm a bloody disaster.

When we come to the playground, Daisy leads me to the swing set. It's large, with five regular swings and one tire swing. The rest of the playground is next to the swings. Monkey bars, a couple of slides, and some climbing structure. Woodchips fill in the playground area while grass surrounds it. In the distance, there's a soccer field. With the dimming sunlight, it's difficult to make out the goalposts.

At the swings, Daisy turns to me. Her expression is ridden with guilt. "Kinsley knows I know about the accident."

My eyebrows shoot up. Dread fills my stomach. "What? Daisy! You were supposed to keep that confidential."

She throws her hands up. "Kinsley was going to tell me, Cole, but she noticed my expression. She guessed. Lying to her... It's something I couldn't fathom. She's been through enough."

I remove my cowboy hat and toss it to the wood chips. Then I run a hand through my hair and pace. Shit. Kinsley must be pissed at me. I knew telling Daisy was a mistake. My intentions were good. Telling Daisy was to protect Noel and Kinsley. Without Daisy knowing, the truth would've come out too soon. She could've mentioned something about Noel's accident to Kinsley. Then Kinsley would've reacted. Or Kinsley could've told Daisy and Daisy could've slipped in front of Noel. It doesn't take a genius to piece the facts together. Noel and Kinsley aren't stupid.

Fuck. My intentions were good, but I've still betrayed her trust.

"Fuck," I curse.

I sit down on the playground. There's a platform just before stairs up to the first slide. Wood chips crunch beneath my feet as I rest my face in my hands.

"Fuck," I repeat.

Daisy rests a hand on my back. "She's not mad at you. She was relieved. Telling the story upsets her. It's like reliving the moment."

"Doesn't matter," I mutter. I rub the heel of my hand against my cheek. "Good intentions aside, I still betrayed her."

Daisy frowns. "That's not how Kinsley sees it. She thinks you did her a favour. Trust me, Cole."

Dropping my hand, I lean back on my elbows and expel a deep sigh.

"How are you holding up?" Daisy asks.

I gaze at the sky. We're far from any drastic light pollution, so it's easy to see the stars. There are more than I can count, and they're stunning.

The stunning view doesn't dampen my anxiety. As the days pass, Kinsley and Noel become closer. Every day, they're closer to trusting each other with the truth. Although Kinsley lost the most, Noel is the one who hasn't dealt with his demons. His reaction will be worse. That's what I'm afraid of. Kinsley's strong. She'll make it. Noel? He concerns me.

Whenever I'm with Kinsley and Noel, I try to predict what will happen. The best scenario is that Jack goes to rehab and Noel gets help. I don't know Kinsley well enough to predict her actions. While she has tools under her belt, she can be volatile. Volatile meaning quick to blame and judge. She might give Noel a hard time. I just hope she comes around and realizes it wasn't his fault.

All I do know is the beginning won't be good.

"I keep trying to calculate when it will happen. Predict the outcomes," I reply. "There'll be a fissure between Noel and Kinsley. Jack will be in rehab. Hopefully. I feel like everything is crumbling around me. So slow you can't see it." A heartless chuckle escapes my mouth. Watching people I love destroy themselves is horrifying. You feel helpless. "You're the only person I have, Daisy. But you know what hurts? You're not mine. I can't have you because you're with Willow's father."

Might as well state my feelings now. I'm vulnerable. Wary of the bloody disaster looming on the horizon. Who cares if she knows how I feel? It's not like I have a bloody chance.

Daisy draws her bottom lip between her teeth. "No, I'm not."

Surprise encompasses my features as I turn to her. "What?"

"Cole..." Daisy rubs her temples.

We're sitting so close our thighs are pressing together. Questions sit on my tongue as hope burns in my chest. If Daisy is single... There's a chance for us. The redo we deserve.

"While you were dealing with Noel's court case, I was dealing with issues of my own," Daisy continues. Her voice shakes as she speaks. "Five years ago, Cole." She loosens a strained chuckle. "We broke up five years ago, and I still have difficulty discussing it. How pathetic am I?"

I pick at the cuticle surrounding my thumbnail. She's not the only one. While I was fighting for Noel's freedom, I ignored Daisy. Then she refused to talk to me. We're both at fault.

Climbing to my feet, I pace in front of her. "We both made mistakes, Dais. I never should've focused on Noel. You aren't pathetic. I... I haven't gone a day without thinking of us."

Daisy won't look me in the eye. Her head is tipped down and her shoulders are shaking. She sniffles several times. "You don't understand," she chokes.

When she looks at me, my heart breaks. Seeing Daisy cry is enough to ruin me. All I want to do is pull her into my arms. But I ground myself instead. We need to continue this conversation.

"Tell me," I say. "What do I not understand? I'm at fault, too, but you ghosted me, Daisy. I tried I come back for you. You wouldn't let me. I want to know. Please."

She ignores my pleading. Bloody hell. That's what I'm doing now. Pleading. I want Daisy back. Screw her ex she had Willow with. I'll be a parental figure if I have to. Daisy's worth it.

"I had Willow five years ago."

A crease forms between my brows. She continues to emphasize five. It's strange to think...

Holy fuck.

Daisy and I hooked up five years ago. For all I know, maybe the condom broke. Daisy...

When I picture Willow, I realize how oblivious I've been. She has my eyes. My nose. Daisy's hair and her soft cheekbones. Her accent is strange, too. Almost a mesh of British and southern twang. Which means... my parents must know.

Shock reverberates through my body. "Are you serious?"

Tears continue to pour down her cheeks. "Cole..."

That's all the confirmation I need. Turning away, I run and hand through my hair, tugging at the strands. It all makes sense. While I was busy fighting the courts to protect Noel, Daisy was dealing with a pregnancy I was unaware of. There were different forces driving us apart. It wasn't just me ghosting her or her ghosting me.

Noel lost the court case. He wasn't able to get a restraining order from his father. Nor was he able to leave. He was a month away from turning eighteen. Due to lack of evidence regarding his father's abusive parenting methods, nothing changed. Which is what inevitably led to the accident. The day we received the news about the loss, I was distraught. I needed someone to talk to. After driving to Daisy's house from Calgary, she refused to let me in or talk to me. Her father escorted me off of the property.

Daisy was pregnant. With our child.

"Willow... Willow is my daughter. Why didn't you tell me, Daisy?"

"You were dealing with too much," she sniffles. "Noel and his father...

I shake my head. Anger is pulsating through my veins. Throbbing in my temples. I swear red tinges the edges of my vision. "What the fuck, Daisy? Is that why you refused to talk to me when I returned after the court case was finished? Because you were pregnant with Willow. With our daughter?"

A sob breaks free from her lips. She drops her face into her hands. "I was trying to protect you! Noel's court case was killin' you. Your fatal flaw is how much you care for others, Cole. You put yourself through shit that's not yours to deal with! Stupid fuckin' kindness. It melts my heart—even if it is your downfall. Noel needed your support, but so did I! You were too engrossed in his court case when I found out. When I decided I wanted to keep the baby."

"You still could've told me! Fuck. Willow is my daughter, too!"

The words taste strange on my tongue. Willow Belle is my daughter. I have a kid.

"I'm aware!" she snaps. "Don't pin this on me, Cole. You were part of the reason I said nothing. I didn't want to overwhelm you. Plus, I was only nineteen when I had her! Havin' a kid altered my life. When I heard about the loss... I thought it would be too much for you. I'm sorry for underestimating you, Cole. I just..."

Daisy drops her face into her hands, sobbing. Her body is shaking. Her sobs echo through the playground. In the distance, I can hear the bass from the club. For the sake of my sanity, I hope Noel and Kinsley are okay. My mind can only handle so much. Seeing Daisy in this state kills me.

It's as if a knife has been driven through my heart and someone keeps twisting the blade.

What hurts even more is that I understand. Why she kept Willow a secret.

Part of me hates her. The other part loves her.

Daisy didn't want to hold me back or stress me out. Her decision to stay silent wasn't done to spite me. She would never spite me. Nor would I ever spite her. Daisy did this out of the goodness of her heart. She was being careful.

That's what brings me to tears. Even after neglecting her, Daisy still cared about me. Her decisions were based off of my mental health.

"I'm sorry, Cole. I've been trying to work up the courage to tell you. It's difficult, though. I... I thought you might hate me."

Tears slide down my cheeks. I release a shaky breath.

While I feel somewhat betrayed, I also feel like shit.

Willow never should've been Daisy's responsibility alone. That's what's problematic for me. I should've been here to help Daisy. I should've been smarter when we were having sex. There are so many things I wish I could go back and change.

I glance at Daisy. She's crazy to think I can hate her. The truth is the opposite. I'm still in love with her. My body and soul crave every inch of her. My hands want to rest on her hips while my lips explore hers. I want our bodies pressed together again with no barriers (except a condom) between us.

"I would never hate you," I whisper. "That's so far from the truth, Daisy. I'm almost offended. You're bloody hard to forget."

She chuckles. "So are you, Robinson."

I smile through my tears. Everything, from my senses to my emotions, is overwhelming. I still can't believe Willow is my daughter. Missing five years of her growing up hurts, too. But I'm not mad at Daisy. My initial reaction was valid. Now that I've had time to process the news, that anger is gone. It's replaced by melancholy and relief and curiosity.

In the end, I'm glad Daisy told me.

I wipe my tears away. "Do I get to meet her? Properly?"

Daisy flashes me a weak smile. "If you want to."

"Fuck, of course I want to, Daisy." I pause. "Does... Does Willow know? About me?"

She nods. "I couldn't keep the truth from her. That's why she was excited to meet you. I made her promise not to tell the truth yet."

I rub the heel of my hand against my forehead. "Shit. She's good."

A little kid keeping such an intense secret from her father. That's a stellar skill.

Daisy tosses her head back and laughs. "She takes after you."

Feeling a little more at ease, I sit down beside Daisy. "I want to do this. Co-parenting. Whatever kind of parenting we can agree on. She's not just your responsibility." Guilt penetrates the lining of my stomach. "If you need any money or want an extra hand around the house..."

"Cole," Daisy says. "You don't owe me anything. If you want to be part of Willow's life, you're welcome to. Without a price."

Without thinking, I pull Daisy onto my lap so she's straddling me. I cup her face. "From now on, it's you and me. We're Willow's parents. I'm not leaving you to fend for yourself, Daisy. I should've been here from the beginning. Now I am. Paying bills, for soccer, school supplies. Whatever you need."

More tears leak down her cheeks. She throws her arms around me, pulling me into a bear hug. "I'm sorry, Cole."

I rub my hand up and down her back, shushing her while she sobs. She's bloody amazing. Raising a daughter alone and providing for her. Not every kid needs both parents, but I'm glad Daisy is allowing me to be part of Willow's. In the end, it's her decision. Daisy gave birth to her. She kept Willow. Whichever route Daisy chose, I would've supported her until the end.

I wrap my arms around her, pressing my face against her shoulder. She smells of sunflowers and laundry detergent. I expel a shaky breath. Daisy picked the right time to tell me. Had she waited any longer, this news may have broken me. Kinsley and Noel could've already told each other the truth. My mental capacity is wearing thin.

Suppressing a groan, I gaze at the sky. Damn it. Daisy's right. I focus on other people too much.

Shifting her weight, Daisy presses her forehead against mine. Her eyes are squeezed shut, and tears are streaking her cheeks. She cups my face with both hands. "I still love you, Cole. I've missed you so much."

I respond with a kiss. No words can describe my emotions. The relief and love I feel for this woman.