The smell of garlic and rosemary fills my kitchen as I stir the pasta sauce, glancing at Olivia across the island. We’ve been seeing each other for a while now and every date with her feels better than the last. Tonight, it’s just us at my place - good food, good wine and that smile of hers that lights up everything around her.

“I just realized something.” I say, amused. “I’ve never been to your place. What’s up with that?”

Olivia’s smile flickers, then fades entirely and the atmosphere shifts so suddenly it’s disorienting.

“You okay?” I ask, concern threading through my voice. She takes a deep breath, eyes fixed on the countertop. “Max ..there’s something I need to tell you.”

My chest tightens. This doesn’t sound good.

“I should’ve told you earlier.” She continues, her voice quieter now. “I just..I didn’t know how to say it. I..have a daughter. She’s three.”

The words hang in the air between us, heavy and raw. My brain stutters, trying to catch up. A daughter. Olivia has a daughter.

She looks up at me, eyes filled with uncertainty. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I know I should have. I just didn’t want to scare you off.”

I run a hand through my hair, trying to sort through the whirlwind of thoughts. Shock, yeah, that’s there. But more than that, there’s this sudden image in my head - Olivia with a little girl who probably has her bright eyes and mischievous smile.

“Wow.” I say, exhaling slowly. “I..didn’t see that coming.” “I understand if this changes things.” She says softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

I shake my head, finding clarity amidst the chaos in my mind. “No, it doesn’t change how I feel about you.” I pause, then add carefully. “Actually I’d really like to meet her. If you’re okay with that.”

Liz’s eyes widen, shimmering with surprise and something else - relief, maybe. “You would?” She asks, voice trembling. “Yeah.” I say firmly. “I care about you,Liz. And if she’s part of your life, I want to get to know her too.”