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My voice is thick. Seeing Izzy and our daughter, accepting me, choosing our family is something I never saw coming. The family I come from can’t even be called a family. I’d always envied the Rossi’s. They welcomed me, but I was always on the outside, always returning to my house at the end of the day. I never thought in a million years that I’d be welcomed in as part of their family, that they would want me.
“Right,” I clear my throat, hoping I’ll be able to make it through this without sobbing and embarrassing myself. “Um, I-well, it looks like we both had the same idea–or the same henchmen… not too sure which.” This earns another chuckle from the crowd. The reporters snap a few pictures. “Izzy, I think you know how I feel about you and I’d be honored to be a part of this family.”
I turn my gaze towards Rory. “I can’t imagine wasting another minute of being your dad because that’s the biggest honor I’ve ever been given.” Gesturing to Evan behind me, he hands me the special jersey with the handwritten words: To my extraordinary daughter. I’m ready to tackle life together.
I kneel down in front of Rory. “Learning about you has been an unexpected blessing that has changed my life in the most beautiful way. Though our paths have just crossed, I know destiny played its part perfectly, bringing us together at the right moment. I want you to know that you are deeply loved and cherished.”
Rory offers a sweet smile as I hand her the jersey and help her put it on. “From this day forward, my commitment to you is unwavering. I’m here to support you and celebrate every milestone in your life. Your presence has already brought so much joy, and I’m excited to witness the incredible person you’re becoming.”
Rory throws her arms around my neck. “I want you to know, that I’m planning to be at every game. Everyone is going to know that my daughter’s team is the best! I’d like the chance to be your dad, if that’s what you want.”
She grins as she nods with enthusiasm.
Signaling to the guys behind me who are holding all the baseball caps we brought I continue. “These were actually supposed to be given at track and field day. The Cowboys are planning to keep sponsoring your team. We brought some things for everyone.”
The parents cheer. It all feels too easy, too surreal, but at least this hurdle is over. I don’t know where Izzy and I stand, but I’d like to figure that out with a much smaller audience.
“Can we have a bouncy house, too?” Rory asks as I tuck the blanket around her. We’re at Izzy’s house since Rory doesn’t have a bed at my place yet. We haven’t really discussed the time split, who Rory will stay with and when. I was sort of hoping to bypass all that and have them move in with me, but Izzy still wants to take it slow, and I understand why… even if I don’t like it.
“We can have whatever you want, princess.”
Izzy frowns at me. “You’re going to spoil her.”
“And that’s a bad thing?” I shoot Rory a wink. “Goodnight, Roar.”
“Night Dad. Night Mom.”
Time does that warp thing again where everything speeds up and slows down all at once. Dad. Rory just called me her dad. I’ve only been waiting a handful of days to hear that, and yet it feels like I’ve been waiting a lifetime.
CHAPTER 19
Isabella
The next day, Nathan has to be at the stadium for a press conference to address all the rumors that Courtney successfully spread to every news outlet from here to LA. Lila thought it would be worth inviting Courtney to the press conference to hear the truth herself, since she insisted on tarnishing Nathan’s reputation so publicly.
I won’t lie, I’m a little excited to see that play out. Rory is at school, and I have a meeting with Lila later in the morning. So, I take my time getting ready, then head over to the stadium.
Nathan is in the press room when I arrive, but the conference hasn’t started quite yet. There are over a dozen reporters eagerly waiting, apparently, this is big news. The crowd is welcome today as I slip into the back of the room to stand with Lila, not wanting to draw any attention to myself. “Will Courtney be joining us?” I ask.
Lila shoots me an evil grin. “She’s sitting up front. She thinks she’s here for a public apology from Nathan for how he deceived her.”
I try not to smirk, but that’s a battle I quickly lose.
Nathan clears his throat to begin, and the room quiets down.
Nathan sits at the table in front, facing the room, looking out at the eager faces, drooling like dogs at the prospect of getting a good story out of him.
He points to a woman in the front row to kick off the questioning. “So, Nathan,” says the woman, crossing her long legs rather ostentatiously, almost like she wants him to notice. I guess his reputation as an NFL playboy is going to take some time to shake. “Rumors are swirling about a love triangle between you, Courtney Warner, and some mystery woman. Do you want to address those?”
He gives his signature charming smile. “Well, that’s a complicated question… and aren’t we here to talk about sports?”
“Are we?” says the reporter.
He leans into the mic. “If you’ve seen this past week’s big news, turns out, I have a daughter—thanks, Courtney, for ensuring everyone knows all about that.” He glances at her in the crowd. The reporters all lean forward in their seats. “That’s not the interesting part, though. Anyway, I have a daughter, but prior to finding that out, I thought I was so smart. I thought I’d seen things, that I’d learned a lot in my life. Turns out though, I don’t know anything. Rory—my daughter—taught me that. To lay some speculation to rest, I did not abandon my daughter… I didn’t know about her.”
“So her mother kept her a secret from you?” Another reporter jumps in. “Is she the mystery woman from the pictures? Were you seeing her at the same time you were with Courtney?”
“No, I was never seeing them both at the same time. I hadn’t seen or spoken to my daughter’s mother since high school, and no she never told me about my daughter. Now, I know how that sounds. A lot of comments online want to blame her mom for that, but the truth is, her mom did what she thought was best at the time, and I mean, you’ve just said you’ve seen the tabloids. Isabella Rossi managed to finish high school, get her degree, and start a marketing company that was so successful she was hired by this team… all while raising a daughter on her own from age seventeen. If that’s not worthy of respect, I don’t know what is.”
