Page 108 of Accidental Doctor Daddy

Warmth and guilt warred in my chest. I’d told myself I was doing the right thing by leaving. But now, I wasn’t sure. “I feel like I painted you into a corner, and I never meant to do that.”

“I needed that wake-up call. History repeats itself because we do the same stupid shit over and over, and that’s what I was doing. You forced me to see what truly matters—family. Now, I have the resources to live without working another day if that’swhat I choose.” He swallowed hard. “If that’s what myfamilychooses.”

That word clung to me. I let out a ragged sob, tears spilling again. “Dom…I left so you wouldn’t resent me, so you could fix things with Leo, keep your career track. I never imagined you’d quit everything. I never wanted you to do that for me?—”

“Not for you,” he interjected, a fierce gentleness in his tone. “Forus. For me. For all the times I put work before the people who mattered.” He stroked my hair, kissing away the tears on my cheek. “Leo and I…we’re on better terms now. I apologized for what I’d done, for our past, for all of it. We’re trying to move forward. Gina’s good, like always. She’s happy I’m making these changes. She thinks they’re a long time coming. They want me to be happy. And…I’m only happy with you.”

His arms enveloped me as I trembled, face buried against his chest. I wanted him again so badly, but we had to talk this out. Didn’t we? At first, I let him hold me. Talking be damned.

Eventually, though, the words came. “I never wanted you to lose your dream. But if…if that wasn’t your dream after all?—”

He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. “My dream was to do good, to save lives, to feel purpose. I’ve done that, and I can still do that, maybe in volunteer work or philanthropic efforts. But the admin role, the corporate battles…that part of my life is over, and I’m glad for it. Now, I can spend time with the people who matter most.”

I gulped and met his eyes with a teasing smirk. “Gina and Leo?”

He met my smirk with his own. “And you. And our girls. If you’ll have me.”

My heart fluttered, tears still leaking. “I…love you. I never stopped. But I thought staying would cost you everything you care about.”

“You didn’t cost me a thing,” he insisted. “You made me see what was important. I want to know my daughters. I want us to be a family, in whatever shape we can manage.”

“I want that, too.” Fresh tears blurred my vision. After a moment, I pulled back slightly, a watery laugh escaping my lips. “You realize we’re naked on my living room floor, right?”

His gaze flicked downward, realization dawning with a faint smile. “That would explain the rubber duckie under my ass. We might want to move. Or get dressed.”

Once I slipped on some clothes—an old T-shirt and comfy pants—I turned to find him seated on the edge of my bed in his trousers, buttoning his shirt. I came up behind him, pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder. “So,” I whispered, settling beside him. “What now?”

“You tell me. I’d love to see the twins as soon as possible. Then…maybe we figure out if we can relocate, or if we stay in Chicago, or whatever.”

I blinked tears away, nodding slowly. “They’re next door with Martha, my nanny.” My chest squeezed with simultaneous fear and excitement. Then I remembered the restaurant. “But first, I should probably tell the kitchen I’m not returning today.”

“Marcus, right? My competition with a cleaver.”

I swatted his arm lightly. “He’s staff, not your competition.”

“You sure you won’t trade me in for a younger model?”

I laughed. “Nope. Same question.”

He snorted. “Never.”

“Then, we’re good.” It shorted out my brain that he was in my apartment. “Dom…I can’t believe you’re here.”

He cupped my cheek, brushing away a stray tear. “I can’t believe I found you. Or that fate brought us back together again.” He paused, swallowing. “It keeps doing that.”

“Yeah. It seems to.” The knot of guilt slowly eased, replaced by a cautious euphoria.Maybe this really is meant to be.

We sat there a long time, just breathing in each other’s presence. Eventually, I rose, grabbed my phone to shoot Marcus a quick text to say I wasn’t coming back today. “Should we…go see the twins?”

“Please.”

Just before stepping out, he reached over my shoulder and closed the door. I turned. “What is it?”

“One more thing. I’m sorry I lied to you.”

“What?”

He blew out a breath. “I told you in the hospital the day the girls were born that I’d never let you out of my sight. But that wasn’t true.” He paused, thinking, searching. “I did. I thought everything was good between us, so I took you for granted?—”

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