When Rafe Cameron first asked you to babysit Chloe, you thought it would be a one-time favor. He was swamped with work, Chloe’s usual sitter had canceled, and he looked a little desperate. You agreed before you had the chance to overthink it.

You hadn’t expected to fall for the little girl so quickly. At four years old, Chloe was a whirlwind—curious, bright, and endlessly affectionate. She insisted on showing you every stuffed animal she owned, made you sit on the floor to color with her, and fell asleep curled up against your arm with her bunny clutched to her chest.

When Rafe came home that first night, he paused in the doorway at the sight of you both. Chloe’s head rested on your shoulder, your fingers gently brushing through her curls as you hummed softly. Something shifted in his expression—something tender and vulnerable that you weren’t used to seeing from him.

From then on, he asked you more often. Sometimes it was work, sometimes errands, and sometimes, you suspected, it was just because Chloe begged for you. And every time, you saw Rafe soften a little more. He lingered in conversations, his eyes lingering too, like he was watching something he couldn’t quite believe.

One evening, after you’d helped Chloe brush her teeth and tuck in her bunny for bed, you found Rafe waiting in the kitchen. He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, but his usual confidence seemed edged with nerves.

“She adores you,” he said quietly.

You smiled. “She makes it easy. She’s… pretty amazing.”

“She is,” he agreed, his voice warming. Then he hesitated, like the words were heavy in his mouth. “And I don’t say this lightly, but… so are you. For her. For me.”

Your breath caught. His eyes met yours, open and unguarded in a way that made your heart skip.

“I’ve been doing this dad thing on my own for a while,” he continued, “and I thought I had it handled. But then you came along, and Chloe looks at you like…” He shook his head, smiling softly. “Like you’re already part of us.”

“Rafe—”

He stepped closer, voice steady now. “I don’t want to rush anything. But I do know this—I’m falling for you. And I want you to know… if there’s even a chance you feel the same, I’d love for you to step into this with me. With us. Not just as Chloe’s babysitter, but… maybe as her mom. As my partner.”

The words sank in slowly, as Chloe’s soft snores drifted down the hallway. You looked at him—at the man who had carried so much weight, who loved his daughter fiercely, who was now offering his heart as carefully as he held hers.

And you realized you’d already stepped into their world. The only question left was how much further you were willing to go.