Page 77 of Deceit & Desire

“Thank heavens,” I murmured under my breath, the words barely audible, but Roman must have heard them. He rested a hand on my shoulder, his touch grounding and steady, his silent agreement saying everything I needed to hear.

Dad glanced up at me, his green eyes meeting mine. For a moment, neither of us spoke. We didn’t need to. Everything I felt was mirrored in his expression—relief, gratitude, and a fierce determination to hold on to this, to hold on to each other, no matter what came next.

Harrison let out a small, contented sigh, and Dad chuckled softly.

“You’ve got a fighter here,” he said, his voice low and warm. “Just like his mama.”

My throat tightened, and I smiled, reaching out to brush a finger gently across Harrison’s tiny hand. His fingers twitched, curling instinctively around mine, and the last of my lingering fears melted away. We were going to be okay. All of us.

Just then, a nurse bustled into the room, clipboard in hand, her expression walking the line between professional patience and mild exasperation.

“Alright, folks,” she said, her tone half-joking, half-serious. “This isn’t a party. Let’s keep it calm in here. Mama needs her rest.”

Kat folded her arms, stepping forward like a sentinel. “Listen, this might look chaotic, but it’s a room full of love. And love’s messy. But Zoe and Roman? They’ve earned every bit of this chaos. So unless we’re breaking a rule, maybe you could just roll with it?”

The nurse blinked, clearly taken aback by Kat’s audacity. She stared for a moment before letting out a resigned sigh.

“Fair enough,” she muttered. “Just let me do my checks, and I’ll leave you to your… ‘love-filled chaos.’” As she leaned closer to me, she added under her breath, “Never a dull moment in this job.”

I stifled a laugh as she worked quickly, checking my vitals and Harrison’s stats. The gentle movements didn’t bother him; he remained perfectly still, his tiny chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. Watching him was hypnotic. When the nurse finally left, Roman shifted beside me, pulling out his phone.

I tilted my head as he scrolled through his contacts, his thumb hesitating for just a moment before he tapped the screen. A familiar face appeared seconds later—Rick, his features lighting up even as he swiped at grease-covered hands. He was clearly answering from his new shop back in Alabama, but his grin widened when he saw us.

“Well, look who it is,” Rick said, his voice warm and teasing. “And is that who I think it is?”

I smiled as Roman carefully handed Harrison back to me. I cradled my son close, feeling the weight of the moment settle over me like a blanket.

“Meet your namesake, Rick,” I said softly, my voice thick with emotion. “Harrison Richard York. First name for my dad, middle name for the guy who saved me. That’s you, by the way.”

Rick’s grin faltered, his expression softening into something I didn’t see often—something raw and vulnerable. He rubbed the back of his neck, his voice low. “Hell, Zoe… Roman… I don’t even know what to say. That’s… that’s a hell of an honor.”

Roman leaned into the screen, his tone steady but full of warmth. “Just keep being the guy we named him after. That’s enough.”

Rick chuckled, though his voice cracked just enough to give him away. “Y’all are gonna make me cry like a baby in front of my customers. Damn it. You’re lucky I’m not there, or I’d be hugging the hell out of all of you.”

The call ended with laughter and promises to visit soon. When I looked up, Dad was already reaching for Harrison. His hands were steady, reverent as I handed the baby to him. Roman stood beside me, his hand warm on my shoulder as we both watched.

Dad stared down at Harrison, his voice thick with emotion.

“Look at him,” he murmured. “Perfect. Just like his mama.” His gaze lifted, meeting mine and Roman’s, his eyes fierce. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve got a lot of years left to spoil this boy and spend time with my family. Y’all are stuck with me.”

I reached out, taking Dad’s hand as Roman’s arm wrapped around me. Kat stood nearby, her sharp edges softened as she wiped at her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater. Miss Smith lingered in the corner, her usual professionalism replaced with something warmer, more human.

As Harrison let out the tiniest sigh, settling deeper into his PawPaw’s arms, I finally felt it: peace. The kind that wasn’t fleeting. The kind that stayed.

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