Chapter 48

HAYDEN

The moment I stepped down from my car into her neighborhood something in me changed. Every fiber in body tensed up…thrummed in anticipation.

And something else…

There were just a few people walking about the streets.

I approached the house I knew was hers slowly.

This was her house.

I was this close to her… If I just walked inside…

Suddenly my gaze focused on a sight just a few feet from where I stood. Just sitting on the carpeted grass floor was a little girl with two pigtails who was focused on drawing something on her book.

I haven’t seen her face yet, her back was faced to me but I couldn’t take a step further.

I think for the first time in my entire life I was brought up short.

This was her daughter.

She must have noticed my presence and turned around. The moment her gaze found mine everything paused.

It felt as if we were the only ones in the entire world.

At least for me.

I stared at th