"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucas whispered loudly. He was helping her scoop ice cream. "Didn't you think this was something I should know?"

"Don't you think I tried? You stopped responding to my texts and then I went to Chicago and you didn't come!"

"I was in the hospital!"

Their voices were getting louder and carrying into the living room.

"Why are you yelling? That's naughty!" Noa called from the living room. "Mommy says you always need to be kind."

"That's right, punkin. I'm sorry I was yelling."

"Why didn't you answer my texts?"

"I got in a car accident right before I was supposed to be in Chicago and some jerk stole my phone out of the car."

"Jerk isn't a nice word," Noa told him.

"She hears everything, by the way," Elizabeth said with a smile.

"Then when I got a new phone, since they had cancelled the stolen phone, they forced me to get a new number so not only did I not have your number, but you couldn't reach me."

She put a dollop of whipped cream on each bowl of ice cream and sighed. "I loved you, Lucas."

"I loved you too."

"Do you still?"

"Its been five years, Elizabeth. I hardly know you anymore. I don't even know my child."

"So that's a no." For some reason, that hurt. It shouldn't at this point.

"I'd like a chance to change that."

"Don't you live in New York? How will that even work?"

"Mommy, is the ice cream ready?"

"Coming, punkin."

She grabbed two bowls and headed out of the room toward the couch. "Here you go."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. After the movie, its jammas and bedtime."

"Okay, Mommy."

Lucas watched his daughter giggle at the movie and eat her blue ice cream. She was an easy going child, it seemed.

"How old are you, Noa?"

Instead of answering, she put down her spoon and held up four fingers.

"Four. So you're in kindergarten?"

Noa pushed pause on the remote and looked at him. "No, silly. I can't go there until I'm five."

"Oh. My mistake."

Noa started the movie again. He had so many questions. He almost didn't know where to begin.

"Yes, I live in New York," he said out loud. "But I can work from anywhere."

"Shhhhh," Noa said.

"Hey, punkin," Elizabeth said with a warning tap on her knee.

"Sorry. Please, can you be quieter?" she asked, sweetly. "I'm watching a movie."

Elizabeth pointed to the kitchen and he followed.

"So you can work from anywhere. Don't you have a family? Are you married?"

"No, I'm not married. My mom would say I'm married to my job though." Not something he was proud of though.

"Lucas, I don't expect anything from you. You don't need to relocate."

"I do if I want this to work. If I want to get to know you again and Noa, I need to move." He pulled his phone from his pocket. "May I have your number? I'd also like to set up arrangements for child support."

"Lucas…"

"Non-negotiable. Now that I know about her, I want to help take care of her."

Elizabeth typed her phone number into his phone. She was feeling overwhelmed. Not two hours ago, she was raising Noa alone. She was the one in charge of everything in their lives. Lucas was not in the picture. Now he wants numbers and to give her money and to relocate.

"Its too much, Lucas."

"What is?"

"Like you said, we don't know each other anymore. I don't know how to do this. I'm her parent. I have been for her whole life and I don't know how to be anything but that."

"I'm not trying to take over. I just want to get to know you both. That's all. I won't be relocating next week or anything. It will likely be a few months."

She nodded.

"Elizabeth, I wish I would have known."

She wiped at a tear that fell down her face. "There were so many times I hoped I would see you again. I didn't want to do this alone."

He didn't know what to say or what the proper response would be so he just hugged her. Surprisingly, she immediately hugged him back, as if he was her oxygen and her life raft.

He smelled the same as she remembered. Wonderful and spicy and like…Lucas. She missed him.

"Mommy?" Noa asked from the doorway. "Why are you hugging that man?"

Elizabeth stepped back and smiled, wiping her tears. "Because, punkin. He's your Daddy."

"He is? Cool!"

And because she still loved him. The pull to be near him was just as strong as five years before.

Lucas pressed his lips to her forehead and smiled down at her.

The forehead kiss reminded her of their early dates. It was comforting and sweet.

He wanted to know this woman. She was strong and independent but she was also vulnerable and that catered to his male side. The one that wanted to protect her and Noa.

Noa didn't really know what having a Daddy meant and she had only just met Lucas but she was pretty excited.

After she put her pink and purple pajamas on and her pink bunny slippers she came out into the living room.

"I'm ready for stories, Mommy. Can he read to me? I think that's what Daddy's do, right?"

"Oh, honey, I think maybe another night. I'll do it tonight."

She shrugged. "Okay. But you'll be here in the morning, right, Daddy?" she asked Lucas.

"I'll be here in the morning, yes."

"Okay. Night."

……

About fifteen minutes later….

"This is moving way too fast," she told Lucas, pacing in the living room.

"What is? I'm not asking you to get married or me to move in here. I'm not even asking you to go on a date with me yet. I just want a chance to get to know you again. To know her."

"I need to think, alright? I'm so overwhelmed. Why aren't you?"

"I guess I don't let too much get to me."

"Not even finding out you are a father? How is that possible?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I need time. As you pointed out, regardless of how I feel about you still, I don't really know you anymore."

"You still have feelings for me?"

"It doesn't matter if the feelings aren't returned."

"Of course it matters, Beth."

"Elizabeth."

"You don't go by Beth anymore?"

"Not really." She did but she didn't feel like being overly friendly with him right now. "I'll get you a pillow and a blanket."

"Its 9pm."

"Yes and I have a four year old who gets up early."

"We."

Lucas knew that he was pushing a bit. He also knew that if he didn't, he might lose his chance to be a father of any kind to Noa. And now that he knew about her, that couldn't happen.

She handed him the pillow and blanket. "Good night, Lucas."

"Night, Elizabeth."

…..

She texted Faith as soon as she sat on her bed. "Can we chat?"

"Of course."

Elizabeth called her best friend, even though she no longer lived in the same state, she needed her perspective.

"You'll never guess what happened to me tonight."

"If you give me a hint, maybe I could."

"It began with me blowing off doing my grading and ended with Lucas sleeping on my couch."

"Lucas? Like, Lucas, Noa's daddy, Lucas?"

"Yes."

"Holy cow. Does he know he's Noa's daddy?"

"He does now."

"Holy cow."

"Yeah. He wants to pay child support and relocate here from New York."

"Sensible. Responsible."

"Overwhelming."

"Is he still hot?"

"Faith Shepherd, how is that relevant?"

"So he is."

Elizabeth sighed and laid back, staring at the ceiling. "He's…yes and he has a beard and somehow that makes him even more attractive."

"Oh yeah. Carson won't grow a beard."

"I still love him, Faith, and I'm not sure what to do with that. How can I when I haven't seen him in five years?"

"Are you just wanting to vent or do you want my advice?"

"Advice please."

"If you still love him, why not see if you can make it work? What would be the harm in finally becoming a family with the father of your daughter?"

"What if he isn't a good guy anymore? What if he gets to know us and then he leaves us?"

"What if turns out to be the love of your life?"