Page 92 of I'll Keep Her Safe

The fact is, we’ll have to tell her. She doesn’t live in the city, so it’s not like she’s going to catch us, but that isn’t exactly a long-term plan. And even if wecouldsomehow keep it from her, I don’t want to. I don’t want to keep lying to her forever. And I’m pretty sure Wyatt doesn’t either.

We’ll have to tell her face to face, I realize, as we finally turn onto Fruit Street. We’ll have to fly out and sit her down and tell her everything. And I can only pray she’ll be as supportive as she’d be if it was any other guy I’d met.

But as we pull up in front of Wyatt’s house, I realize we won’t have to fly out to San Francisco at all.

Because there, leaning against the railing of the courtyard, is Bailey.

32

Wyatt

My heart vaults into my throat when I spot my daughter waiting outside the house. I’ve spent the entire ride home ruminating on the secret we’re keeping from her, trying to figure out the best way to tell her, and it’s almost as if my thoughts have conjured her onto my doorstep.

I pull the bike up and shut off the engine, wondering how the hell I’m going to explain the fact that Poppy was out with me.

But before I get the chance, she leaps from the bike, yanking off her helmet and tugging Bailey into her arms.

“What are you doing here?” Poppy asks breathlessly, squeezing her tight.

“I’m here for a conference and wanted to surprise you guys.” Bailey releases Poppy. “I sent you a message,” she tells her, and Poppy frowns.

“When?”

“When I landed.”

“Weird,” Poppy says, rubbing her face. “I never got it.”

Bailey shrugs, looking over at me as I climb off the bike. “Wow, Dad. When was the last time you went out on that?”

I scrub a hand nervously over my beard. “It’s been a while.”

“I didn’t even know you rode it anymore.” Her gaze slides to Poppy, clad in motorcycle gear, and moves across her from head to toe in a way that makes my pulse surge.

“It was my idea,” Poppy says quickly. “I, uh, wanted to know what it was like to go out on a motorcycle, so I begged him to take me.” She gestures to her getup. “Look, I even bought all the proper gear.”

“Cool,” Bailey says quietly. She looks down at her bags sitting by her feet and shifts her weight, almost as if she feels like she’s intruding, and my heart plunges.

My daughter will always be welcome in my home—inherhome.

It hits me just how difficult it’s going to be, juggling my relationship with Poppy while making sure Bailey doesn’t feel excluded, even if wedotell her. It’s going to change the entire dynamic of our relationship, and I really, really don’t want that.

But… there’s no way I’m giving up what I have with Poppy. Not after she confessed she wants the future I want. Not knowing we have everything we want within our grasp.

I sigh, motioning to the door. “Come inside, kiddo.”

Bailey frowns at my indifferent response, and I check myself, pulling her into a hug.

“It’s good to see you,” I add, but it sounds like an afterthought, even to my own ears.

“If this isn’t a good time…” she begins, but Poppy picks up her bag with a smile.

“It’s a great time. Right, Wyatt?”

My stomach drops. Is she going to tell Bailey now? Surely she wouldn’t do that when we haven’t even discussed it?

But she shoots me a look that somehow communicatesdon’t worry, I’m not going to say anything, and I exhale slowly. Of course she wouldn’t.

“It’s always a great time, honey.” I smile at my daughter, feeling myself relax. Because I mean it—I always want to see her. “Come inside and we’ll make some dinner.”

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