Page 132 of Your Second Chance
Standing off to the side, Dirks cleared his throat. He didn’t seem the least bit fazed by our impromptu hug puddle. “Hi,” he said, stepping forward and holding out his hand. “Dirks.”
Before Ollie could reply, Scarlette piped up, her voice loud and matter-of-fact. “NotDicks, Ollie,” she said with wide-eyed seriousness.
My eyes went wide in horror as the words registered, and I turned to Luna, who was already doubled over, laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach.
Ollie’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but his lips twitched in amusement as he looked down at Scarlette. “Noted,” he said, suppressing a laugh.
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “Luna,” I muttered, trying to keep my composure.
Through her laughter, Luna managed to wheeze out, “I didn’t—oh my god—I didn’t eventeachher that.”
Ollie looked between us, a wide grin breaking across his face. “It’s good to be back,” he said, shaking Dirks’s hand finally. “Nice to meet you... Dirks.”
The night unfolded with the cozy chaos of the season. We’d gotten all of Ollie’s bags inside, Luna and Dirks headed back to his house, and Scarlette chatted endlessly about Santa’s arrival as she set out cookies and a glass of milk by the fireplace. She bounced on her toes, and it took forever to wrangle her into bed early.
Once Scarlette was asleep, the house quieted, and the glow of the Christmas tree lights cast a soft warmth over the room. I couldn’t seem to leave Ollie’s side. I followed him from the living room to the kitchen, back to the tree, and then to the sofa, like a lost puppy starved for his presence. Every glance, every touch,every word he spoke felt like a balm I hadn’t realized I’d needed so badly.
When he caught me staring for the third time, his lips curled into a teasing smile. “You’re going to wear yourself out if you keep trailing me like this, love.”
I laughed. “I’ve missed you too much to care.”
After we’d cleaned up from dinner and the last of the gifts were placed under the tree, Ollie turned to me, his eyes twinkling with that familiar mischievous glint. “Why don’t you give me a tour of the house?”
“A tour?” I raised an eyebrow.
“The upstairs, specifically.”
I swallowed hard, my heart skipping a beat as I caught the hint of intent in his tone. “Of the upstairs?” I repeated, suddenly breathless.
He nodded again, and before I could say anything more, my mouth was on his, our lips colliding in a kiss that made the world around us fade away.
He slid his hands around my waist, pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss, his warmth melting away every lingering doubt, every ache from the time we’d spent apart.
46
ollie
I couldn’t get enough of her. Holding Nova in my arms after all this time felt like coming home in a way I hadn’t realized I’d been desperate for. The last couple of months had been the hardest of my life, an endless ache in my chest that I couldn’t shake, knowing she was here—handling everything alone.
The thought of her dealing with Scarlette, managing the holidays, and confronting her ex—it gutted me. It made the distance unbearable, the helplessness almost suffocating. When she admitted she thought I might leave her because of all this, it wasn’t shocking—it was heartbreaking.
How could she not see? Didn’t she know that there was nothing, absolutely nothing, that would make me walk away from her or Scarlette? Her doubt lit a fire in me, an even stronger determination to prove that I was here for the long haul.
When I got the call that my visa had been approved, there wasn’t a moment of hesitation. I packed my bags, booked the first flight, and crossed the ocean ready to surprise my girls.
As the plane soared over the Atlantic, I couldn’t ignore the knot of fear twisting in my stomach. Leaving London—my parents, my childhood home, everything I’d ever known—was terrifying. It wasn’t the physical distance; it was the enormityof starting over in a new country, stepping into an unfamiliar world, and going into a full-time coaching position.
Yet, despite the fear, there wasn’t a shred of doubt. Nova and Scarlette were my family, my heart, my entire reason for being. The life I’d known in London didn’t compare to the life I wanted with them. Moving away wasn’t a loss—it was a choice, a promise, to be there for them no matter what.
By the time I landed, the nerves were gone. All that remained was excitement, an overwhelming need to hold them, to see their faces, to remind them that I was here, and I wasn’t going anywhere.
Yet as much as I wanted to see Nova and Scarlette, there was another feeling gnawing at the edges of my excitement: fear.
Austin.
The idea of Scarlette having a connection to her biological dad—someone who had once been a part of Nova’s life—was a reality I hadn’t fully prepared myself for. What did it mean for us? For Scarlette?
Being out here, walking into the unknown, scared the hell out of me. But the fear didn’t matter, not when I knew what was waiting for me on the other side. Nova and Scarlette were my family, and nothing—not distance, not doubt, not even fear—was going to keep me from showing them how much I loved them.
