Page 7 of Six of Hearts
"You're not the only one," Noah admitted, then looked at each of us in turn. "But we agreed to be thorough this time. Careful. So no one makes a move until she's comfortable with the kids and we've had a chance to see if she's even interested in... more. Agreed?"
"Agreed," Liam and I said together.
Noah's gaze fixed on Gabriel. "Oli?"
Gabriel crossed his arms but nodded. "Agreed."
"Good." Noah leaned back, a slight smile playing at his lips. "Besides, if we let the tension build for now, it'll be that much better when we finally..."
He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.
I took a long drink of whisky, trying to ignore the way my pulse had kicked up when I'd seen Aria's photo. Trying not to think about how she'd looked at the camera with those clear eyes, or how something in my chest had twisted at the sight of her.
She reminded me of Eva, yes. But she wasn't Eva. And maybe that was exactly what I needed—someone who could make me feel something again without being haunted by the past.
Or maybe she'd be the one thing that finally broke me.
I'd find out soon enough. We all would.
"When does she start?" I asked.
"Monday," Noah said. "I told her we'd all be there to meet her. Thought it would be easier to do introductions all at once."
Gabriel groaned. "You're really going to make us wait until Monday?"
"I'm really going to make you wait until she's ready," Noah corrected. "However long that takes."
I nodded, setting down my glass. It was the right call, even if every instinct I had was telling me to see her again, to find out if she was real or just another disappointment waiting to happen.
"Then we wait," I said. "And we do this right."
For the kids, I told myself. For Finn, who deserved stability and care and maybe, finally, a chance at something like a normal family.
But as I drove home that night, Aria's face stayed with me—those eyes, that smile, the way she'd looked both confident and gentle in that single photograph.
I'd spent years building walls, keeping people at a distance, protecting Finn and myself from any more loss. But something about Aria Kent had slipped past my defences before I'd even met her.
And that terrified me more than I wanted to admit.
Four
Aria
I spread the letters across my kitchen table Friday morning, studying them like I was preparing for a final exam. Seven children. Six fathers. One nanny position that paid more than I'd made in the last two years combined.
It should have felt too good to be true. Maybe it was.
Noah Blake had called Wednesday evening to ask if I could come by Friday afternoon instead of waiting until Monday. "The other dads want to meet you," he'd explained. "Thought it might be easier to do introductions all at once, before you officially start. Less overwhelming for everyone."
I'd agreed, though I wasn't sure how meeting six single fathers and seven children simultaneously could be *less* overwhelming. But I appreciated the logic—better to face it all at once than drag it out over days.
Now, with a few hours before I needed to leave, I was doing what I did best: preparing.
Noah's letter I practically had memorised. Structural engineer, works for the city. Twin six-year-old boys, Oliver and Theo, who played baseball on weekends. He'd mentioned being half Jewish, using his heritage to teach his sons about acceptance and difference. I'd liked that immediately.
Julian Rivers, CEO of an accounting firm. Six-year-old daughter Hazel, who he described as "not very outgoing." No extracurriculars, which clearly worried him. The concern in his letter had been palpable—a father who wanted to understand his daughter but wasn't sure how to reach her.
Liam Cross and his daughter Mila were new to the group. Lactose allergy for both of them, which meant I'd spent an hour last night researching hidden dairy in common foods. Liam was a prosecutor. Mila did ballet on Saturdays.
