Kelly's first instinct was to pretend she hadn't understood correctly, but that would have been a lie, and she didn't like lying. However, she had to say something to poor Ross who was looking at her expectantly.

The problem was that he really didn't know what to answer.

She was thirty-three years old, with two splendid daughters and a stimulating job that gave her great satisfaction, as well as a partner who she would be happy to have by her side in the future too.

And now that man had asked her to marry him.

In reality it wasn't a romantic proposal on one knee, but more of a conversation like this: Since we've almost always slept together for a year now, sometimes at one's house, sometimes at the other's, it would be more comfortable for everyone and also cheaper to get married. , do not you think?

She couldn't help but say yes, even if Ross wasn't Vaughan... Indeed, even more so she should have accepted, precisely because Ross was not her ex-husband, the man who had broken her heart and had made to suffer so much that it makes her doubt whether she can overcome that pain.

Precisely because she was sure that she would never recover, she had decided that it would be better to try to start a new life despite still thinking of a man who didn't love her.

It had been eight years since she left her ex-husband, the father of her daughters, and for eight long years she had waited patiently for him to understand that he had lost an exceptional woman but that, if only he would get his head together, they could have a wonderful family, full of affection and happiness.

Unfortunately, after countless sleepless nights and rivers of tears shed, Kelly had learned only one, very hard lesson: as much as he wished it weren't so, Vaughan Hurley was not a stable and reliable husband, and he never would be.

She could no longer delude herself that Vaughan would mature and become worthy of her love. What should he have done? Stay single forever waiting for your ex-husband to decide to grow up? He risked growing old with a hope that would probably never be realized. Kelly no longer wanted to be alone, she wanted to have a man by her side, someone to share a bed with and who she would find at home every day when she returned.

Ross was a good person and would have been a good husband. There wasn't an irrepressible attraction between them but she loved him and they would have been happy together; it was useless to expect to feel intense emotions in every moment she spent with him. Ross was exactly the man she needed for peace of mind.

He had to stop waiting for a miracle and start living again. Ross inspired confidence in her.

So he focused on her warm, affectionate brown eyes and replied, "Yes, that's fine." It seemed to her that it was another person who had said those words, a woman she didn't know, but she didn't question the decision she had made. She had made her choice and she would not go back.

Ross smiled at her happily and hugged her tightly.

Vaughan Hurley had finally returned home after touring for three months with the band, Sweet Hollow Ranch. Even before the tour he had been very busy recording the latest album, which was already at the top of the charts and had had excellent sales success, as had the group's concerts. The Hurley brothers' musical career was booming, and it was undeniable that Vaughan had been focusing exclusively on work in recent months.

But that's enough now, he needed to take a break and turn his attention to other matters, which he had put aside for too long. For years he had preferred not to think about it, but the marriage proposal he received from his ex-wife had presented him with problems that he had avoided facing.

“I felt it was my duty to inform you that Ross asked me to marry him and I accepted,” Kelly had told him.

At that news, Vaughan's heart sank, but he tried to remain impassive. "When will you get married?"

“We haven't set the date yet, but certainly not for another year.” Kelly had paused, and Vaughan had the urge to beg her not to.

«Ah. Best wishes" he said instead.

Kelly had given a sharp nod. «Thank you, and good luck with the tour.»

And with that she turned on her heel and went back into the house, leaving him impaled on the porch. At that point he had nothing left to do but get in the car and leave, driving the entire route as if he were on autopilot.

In those three months he had practically thought about nothing else, not only about Kelly's future wedding, but about the fact that she had visibly hesitated, waiting for him to say something; faced with his absurd silence, however, she had left him in the lurch on the porch, closing the door in his face.

He had been an idiot for not saying anything, so now here he was, still buzzing from the adrenaline pumping after the concert, but with the bitter feeling that something was missing. Unfortunately he didn't realize how lucky he was until he lost everything.

He and Kelly had two wonderful daughters who Vaughan adored madly. He missed them terribly after three months of touring and couldn't wait to hug them again. The older they became, the more difficult the moment of separation was for him, when he spent time with them, because when he saw them again, even just after a few weeks, they seemed even more grown up and he regretted having missed so many important moments of their life. their life.

Despite the nostalgia he felt, he considered himself lucky because his daughters loved him without reservations. When he wished them goodnight with a kiss before leaving, they held him tight and their look full of trust and affection caused a painful pang in his heart.

He drove the short distance that separated him from his ex-wife's house, the one that had once been thereThey house, and parked along the sidewalk in front of the entrance. He had raised his daughters there with Kelly, and now he had to warn them before going to visit them.

But he had no one to blame but himself, after all. Regarding the divorce, he could really say that he had ruined himself with his own hands.

He looked at the house and saw the lights on on the first floor; someone was still awake, so he could at least look into the girls' room, even if they were already asleep, and leave the gifts he had brought for them.

And see Kelly.

He texted her to let her know he was out there, but Kelly didn't text him back. Instead he appeared in the doorway and waved him in excitedly. As he got out of the car, Vaughan noticed his anxious expression and was immediately alarmed.

"What's up?" he asked her running up.

«Maddie has a high fever and stomach pains so bad that she can't stand when she has a pang. I was just about to take her to the emergency room. Can you come with us?"

Vaughan stared at her intently; although his heart sank every time he looked at her, at that moment he tried to consider her only as a mother in pain, the mother of his daughters. It was clear that Kelly needed him, so he nodded quickly, focusing on the problem and putting his own needs aside.

"Yes, certainly. What can I do to help you?"

Kelly hesitated for a split second, then took a deep breath, wet her lips and ushered him in, pointing to the stairs. «I just dressed her, she has no shoes but I put them in a bag in her bag. Can you carry her down in your arms? In the meantime, I'll go get the car, I'll wait for you at the door" he told him in a decisive, hasty tone, speaking quickly.

That moment of intimacy between them had passed, as fleeting as the look they had exchanged; Vaughan felt absurdly heartened by Kelly's self-control, which allowed him to stay in his place without too much difficulty.

He was halfway up the stairs when he remembered his youngest daughter and turned to Kelly. “And Kensey?”

«She's sleeping with a friend. Hurry, Vaughan,” she urged.

Vaughan wasted no more time and walked briskly towards the room at the end of the corridor. When she saw him, Maddie gave him a broken smile. «Dad, how nice that you are here! I have a fever" she told him in a weak voice.

Vaughan bent down to pick it up and felt it was hot. Although he was increasingly alarmed, he tried to maintain control because his daughter needed him and he needed to remain calm. «Yes, my mother told me. Come on, baby, I'll take you to the car."

Maddie nodded sleepily, her green eyes bright with fever, holding her lucky pig close. Kelly had already brought the car to the front door and was waiting for him at the door. He accompanied him and opened the door, Vaughan placed Maddie in the back seat and sat next to her.

«Now let's go to the hospital so a doctor can examine you. Lean on Daddy,” Kelly told her gently.

Vaughan met her gaze in the reflection of the rearview mirror and noticed how scared she was. Thank God it had come at the right time, and Kelly and Maddie hadn't had to face that distressing situation alone.

Locked in a tense silence, they quickly headed to the hospital which, fortunately, was not very far from the house. Along the way Maddie was struck by a pang of pain that made her twitch.

Kelly stopped under the shelter in front of the emergency room entrance, turned off the engine and walked around the car to open the door. “While I bring Maddie in, can you go park and then join me, please?”

Her pragmatic tone rallied him; Kelly's efficient attitude was just what she needed to avoid giving in to panic. He got out of the car holding Maddie, then handed her to her mother before getting behind the wheel of the SUV.

As Kelly crossed the threshold of the emergency room, Vaughan didn't delay beyond following her with his gaze, but immediately went to look for parking. With his cell phone glued to his ear to call his parents and warn them, he quickly grabbed the stuffed pig that was left on the seat, then ran towards the emergency room entrance.