Chapter 294 Miami Morning

Nancy didn’t open her eyes until the clock read just past ten.

She had no idea when she’d finally fallen asleep. All she remembered was the feeling of being thoroughly, completely wrecked — in the best possible way.

She felt sore in all the right places. A good kind of sore. The kind that made her stretch out lazily under the sheets with a satisfied smile.

“You awake?”

She hadn’t even heard him come back in. A cool kiss landed on her eyelid.

Nancy groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. “No. I’ve died and gone to heaven. Don’t interrupt my afterlife.”

Yardley’s laugh rumbled through the quiet room. “Sorry to break it to you, but heaven doesn’t have a view of South Beach.”

She heard the clink of a coffee cup, the rustle of fabric. The smell of strong espresso drifted over from the nightstand, mixing with the salt air coming through the open balcony door.

“Alright, angel.” His voice was closer now. “I left you coffee. Don’t let it get cold.”

Nancy peeked one eye out from under the pillow. “I was gonna come with you…”

He was already by the door. “You look like you need another hour.” That cocky half-smile. “Take a bath. Order breakfast. I’ll be back before you know it.”

She wanted to argue. But her body was heavy in that warm, floaty way that made staying in bed feel like the only option. The sheets were cool. The ocean was crashing. The espresso smelled incredible.

“Fine,” she mumbled, already sinking back into the pillow.

The door clicked shut. She heard his footsteps fade down the hallway.

—

At the airport baggage claim, Orion stood with his arms crossed and a death glare that could have won him a role in a mob movie.

“Dad.” His voice was flat. Accusatory. “You lied.”

He planted himself right in front of Yardley, blocking his path like a tiny bouncer with a personal vendetta. A few travelers sidestepped them, probably assuming it was a standard parenting meltdown.

“You’re the worst dad in the whole world. I’m putting you in timeout when we get home.”

Yardley didn’t even flinch. He just looked down at his son, one eyebrow raised. “Orion. Do you want a little sister or not?”

The kid’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.

He was still furious. But his brain had hit a speed bump. What did getting left behind at Grandpa’s house have to do with getting a sibling?

He was seven. Nobody had given him the whole where-do-babies-come-from talk yet.

“Obviously I want one! But you can’t just dump me at home like a piece of luggage!”

His eyes went glassy. His lower lip started doing that wobble thing.

“Dad… are you gonna throw me away when the baby comes? Like a toy I don’t play with anymore?”

A woman passing by gave Yardley a dirty look.

Yardley sighed, crouched down, and pulled his kid into a headlock-hug. “Alright, that’s enough melodrama for one day. I saw you practicing that face in the car mirror.”

Orion squirmed but didn’t actually try to escape. “I was not.”

“You were. You’re a terrible actor. Let’s go get your mom and find some food.”

And just like that, the grudge evaporated. Seven-year-olds were simple creatures.

—

That afternoon, Yardley hired a local photographer to document the trip.

They did the whole thing — beach poses, jumping shots, a failed attempt at a sandcastle that looked more like a sand-blob.

Orion even convinced the photographer to shoot a vlog-style reel for him. He watched the playback on the camera screen, nodding like a tiny film director.

“Dad. Can I post this?”

“No faces. Everything else is fine.”

Orion rolled his eyes so hard it looked painful. “Who would wanna see your stupid face anyway? It’s just the parts with Mom.”

Nancy sat down beside him on the bed, helping him line up the clips.

The late afternoon light came through the floor-to-ceiling windows, warm and golden.

Orion leaned into her side, his laughter filling the room like it belonged there.

Yardley leaned against the doorframe, watching them. Something in his chest loosened.

Nancy looked at her son. Then at the man standing in the doorway.

She had never felt this full before.

The idea of adding another kid to this chaos didn’t scare her anymore.

It felt like the most natural thing in the world.