How in the world would I convince her that a future was possible? How in the world would I ever convince Rose that I wanted a future with them? That I could provide it for them?
Suddenly, I heard a commotion come down the stairs and I saw Rose’s face grow panicked. I handed Ana back to her and stood poised, stepping in front of them as the door flew open. I didn’t know what had her so nervous and I didn’t know what flooded that fear into her eyes, but I was determined to put a barrier between it and her. The door flew open and I recognized the two people standing there: the boy from the park and the young woman who had been beside Rose on the bench. They stood there, looking at me with their mouths parted in shock and it was then I felt Rose step out from behind me.
“I need to take Ana to the potty,” she said. “Kevin, could you look after our guest for me?”
I watched the boy’s eyes widen as Rose pushed between the two people standing in the doorway.
“You’re Ana’s father,” he said.
“I am,” I said, nodding. “I was just coming to meet Ana.”
“It’s you,” the young woman said breathlessly.
I could tell by the way she was looking at me that she wasn’t just talking about the statement Kevin had just made.
“It’s me,” I said.
“Cassie,” she said as she held out her hand. “This is Kevin. Ana’s brother and my cousin.”
I could tell the boy was distrustful. His eyes had the same hesitancy Junior’s always had when meeting new people. I remembered the ramble Rose went on that evening about her home and her life and how something had happened to her in college.
She’d dropped out of culinary school because of something.
I looked into Kevin’s eyes and noticed a familiarity in them. The light bags underneath his eyes and the hazy stare, the way he positioned himself slightly in front of Cassie, even though she was much older and more mature. His protective instincts were kicking in, even if he didn’t realize it, and the last piece of Rose’s life fell into place.
She’d lost her family.
That’s what had caused her to drop out of school.
Cassie was looking at me with wild eyes. I heard Ana giggling in the background and Rose cooing at her, telling her to stand still so she could get her clothes back on. I wanted to help her, to show her that I could be the father and man she needed me to be. She’d played this role for way too long by herself. She’d sacrificed more than most people had in a lifetime.
I wanted to change all of that for her as quickly as I could.
But in order to do that, I had to win over the trust of the family standing in front of me. Her brother and her cousin, two people who were actively guarding her with their lives. Even though Rose had lost her parents, she was still surrounded by people who loved her. People who cared for her, just like she deserved.
They were important to her. That much, I could tell. If I wanted to become important to her, they had to become important to me. As Rose pushed back through them and came to stand beside me, I made another vow to myself. A vow I would keep for all eternity, no matter the consequences to myself.
I would protect and keep all of them safe. I would give my life to make sure they were taken care of and wanted for nothing. And, in return, all I would ask for was a life with my daughter.
A life with the woman I’d created her with.
A life with this beautiful family who loved Rose and Ana the way I intended to from this point forward.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN – ROSE
I pushed past Kevin and Cassie as I made my way back into the kitchen. I knew this was going to come as a shock to everyone, having Camillo here, but the more he was around, the more I realized how much I’d missed him. I’d clung to that night for months after the encounter that changed my life. No man that approached me at the diner ever compared to the beauty and strength he showed me that night and the very memory of his body against mine got me through the worst of times. There were nights where I would lay in bed, clinging to that note he’d left me, hoping I could conjure his presence. And now, here he was, plucking our daughter from my arms while I shooed him into the other room, telling Camillo to go spend time with his daughter so I could try to salvage dinner.
Kevin stood in the doorway and gawked at the two of them playing, while Cassie stood next to me at the fridge.