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"You bet." Dylan paused. "What's it like? Seeing her after all these years?"
Keegan took a breath, trying to find the words. "Like I just came alive."
"Damn. That's awesome. And the kid?"
"She's amazing."
"You think she's yours?"
"She claimed me, and I claimed her, so yeah. Mine." He didn't bother to explain that a paternity test didn't matter. Dylan got it. To the Harts, family had nothing to do with blood ties.
"Fuck. I'm not going to lie. I'm a little jealous. Hope it works out for the three of you. I'd love to see you with a shit-eating grin on your face the next time I see you."
Keegan grinned. "Me, too. Talk later."
"You bet. I'll keep in touch. Let me know if you get any info from her. It would make it easier."
"I know. I'll work on it." Keegan saw Gabby look back for him, Millie zipped in the front of her jacket. When she saw him, her face brightened, and she gestured to him to come catch up.
His heart turned over. "Gotta go. My daughter wants me." Son of a bitch. "I can't believe I just said that."
"Absolutely fucking awesome. I love it. Talk later." Dylan hung up.
Keegan shoved his phone in his pocket and broke into a jog, weaving his way around the sparse crowds to catch up. As he neared them, Sofia looked back at him. He shot her a smile, and after a moment, she smiled back before turning away.
Yes. She hadn't shut him out.
Tonight, after Gabby was in bed…tonight, he would get Sofia alone.
Tonight, the walls were going to come down.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"Mom!" Several hours later, Gabby flopped down on Sofia's bed, her face glowing. "This was the most amazing day, wasn't it?"
Sofia grinned at her daughter's enthusiasm. "It was pretty fun."
"Keegan is the best. Isn't he nice?"
"He is." Sofia had loved seeing him interact with all his old customers. Their love and affection for him told her so much about who he was, and that her instincts about him were right. Bella clearly adored him, and Sofia adored Bella, so that was more validation.
Keegan Hart was a good man.
"Mom?"
"What's up, sweetie?" Sofia grabbed her flannel pants and camisole from her backpack and headed into the bathroom to get ready for bed.
"Keegan…he seems to totally accept me as his daughter. Do you think he means it?"
Sofia heard the insecurity in her daughter's voice, so she immediately came back to the bed and sat down beside her daughter. "I do, Gabby. To the Harts, family is everything. There is no hesitation there at all. I can see it in the way he looks at you."
Gabby bit her lip. "You really think so? I mean, he didn't even know I existed until today, and now he's willing to go all-in on being my dad? Who does that?"
"The Harts do it. Keegan Hart does it." Sofia smoothed back her daughter's hair, like she used to do when Gabby was little. "You are an incredibly special person, Gabby. Keegan is lucky that you've decided to let him into your world, and he knows it."
Gabby thought about that as she picked at the comforter. "But what about you? Is he mad at you? Because if he's mad at you or mean to you, then I don't want him."
Sofia's throat tightened at her daughter's loyalty, realizing that it must have been weighing on Gabby all day. "He's not mad at me," she said honestly. "He would like to know what happened, but he's not mad. He said that the Harts know all about making tough decisions to survive, and he respects whatever was going on in my life that made me choose the way I did."
