28. Cole

TWENTY-EIGHT

Cole

5:01 pm

I step out onto the balcony with Liesle, the cool fall air a welcome change from my days, mostly these last several weeks, stuck inside a hospital. We settle into the chairs, and I can't help but let out a deep sigh.

"Cole, I'm in awe of how well you handled all of this," Liesle says, reaching over to squeeze my hand.

I shake my head, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I couldn't have done it without you and Buster. You both were my rocks through this nightmare."

"Buster really stepped up, didn't he? In more ways than one," Liesle remarks, a hint of admiration in her voice.

"He did," I agree, my mind drifting to everything Buster has done for us. "I don't know what I would've done without him. We very well could still be looking for a donor match."

We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, listening to the muffled sounds of "Frozen" playing inside. Then, I can't hold it in any longer.

"You know who didn't step up? Steele," I spit out, anger suddenly bubbling up inside me. "That asshole never even bothered to call me back when I asked him to come see if he was a match for Maddie. It took everything I had to get the guts to call him. Can you imagine a human being being so insensitive? About someone who could have his blood running through her? A child!"

Liesle's eyes widen. "Are you serious? His own daughter was fighting for her life, and he couldn't be bothered?"

"Nope," I say, popping the 'p' with disdain. "I left messages, texted, and even reached out to his sister. Nothing. Radio silence."

"What a piece of shit," Liesle mutters, shaking her head. "Well, good riddance to him. Maddie has Buster now, and he's more of a father than Steele ever was."

I turn to Liesel, suddenly realizing I might have forgotten to share crucial information with her.

"Hey, I told you I had to admit my hunch to Buster about him being Maddie's father, right?" I ask, wracking my brain to remember if I'd shared this during the whirlwind of the past few weeks.

Liesle's eyes widen. "No! You left that massive nugget out. You act like you haven't had a lot on your plate. When did this happen? How did he take it?"

I take a deep breath, recalling the intense conversation. I detail the conversation, telling her how amazing he was overall with the news. I explain that we didn't have much time to process it together because of the craziness with Madeline, the match test, and the whole procedure. I'm dizzy thinking of it all.

"Wow," Liesle breathes. "That's... pretty amazing of him."

I nod, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Yeah, it is. We haven't addressed it since then, though. Everything's been so focused on Maddie's treatment."

I pause, weighing my next words. "You know, I think the fact that he was a match is probably a pretty good sign that my hunch was right. I mean, what are the odds, right?"

Liesle nods thoughtfully. "That does make sense. How do you feel about that?"

"Honestly?" I say, looking out over the balcony. "I hope it's true, for Maddie's sake. She deserves a father who cares about her and would do anything for her. Buster's already proven he's that kind of man."

8:09 pm

I stare at my phone, my finger hesitating over the send button. My heart races a little as I hit send.

You up?

His reply comes quickly.

Yup, watching Hawaii 5-0 reruns. Everything okay?

Yes. We are good. Liesle and Anna just left.

Then, before I can overthink it, I ask if he wants to come over.

The three dots appear, disappear, then reappear. I hold my breath.

Be there in 5.

I glance around the living room, suddenly aware of the mess left behind from when we got home. I threw everything down when we got in, and it is a cluttered mess.

I tidy up, tossing stray toys into the basket by the couch, and put our bags in my room.

My hands shake a little, and I laugh at myself. Why am I nervous? It's just Buster. He's seen my place way messier, and I wasn't dealing with a sick kid in the hospital.

But it's not "just" Buster anymore, is it? He's potentially Maddie's father, her lifesaver, and... something more to me. Something I'm not quite ready to define.

A soft knock at the door startles me out of my thoughts. I smooth my hair and take a deep breath before opening it.

Buster stands there, looking a bit rumpled but handsome as ever, in a simple t-shirt and jeans. His eyes search mine, concern evident. "Hey, you sure you're okay?"

I nod, stepping back to let him in. "Yeah, everything's fine—Maddie's asleep. I just... I guess I didn't want to be alone. I was missing you."

He steps inside, his presence immediately filling the room. "I get it. It's been a crazy few weeks."

We stand there for a moment, the air thick with unspoken words. I gesture to the couch. "Want to sit? Maybe talk?"

Buster nods, following me to the living room. We settle on opposite ends of the couch, facing each other. The silence stretches between us, comfortable yet charged with possibility.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation we've been avoiding. Buster's warm presence beside me is comforting, and I fight the urge to curl against him and forget everything else.

"Buster," I start, my voice barely above a whisper. "I think we need to talk about Maddie."

He turns to face me, his expression open and attentive. "Yeah, I think you're right."

I fidget with the hem of my shirt, struggling to find the right words. "I'm sorry I dropped that bomb on you about my suspicions when everything was so chaotic. It wasn't fair to you."

Buster shakes his head. "Cole, you don't need to apologize. We were in crisis mode. You did what you had to do."

"Still," I persist, "I feel like I owe you an explanation. And I think we need to discuss what this means for us, for Maddie."

He nods slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. "I'm listening."

I take another deep breath. "When I saw you at the theme park, it was like something clicked. I can't explain it, but looking into your eyes, I just knew. And then, spending time with you, seeing you interact with Maddie... it became impossible to ignore."

Buster reaches out, taking my hand in his. The simple gesture gives me strength to continue.

"I was scared," I admit. "Scared of what it might mean, scared of disrupting Maddie's life, scared of... of letting you in again."

His thumb traces soothing circles on the back of my hand. "I understand, Cole. I'm not angry with you for how you reacted. You didn't know before that, so there is nothing you could have done differently."

I nod, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "And now, after everything that's happened, after you've literally saved her life... I don't know where we go from here."

I look into Buster's eyes, feeling relief and apprehension. His question hangs in the air between us.

"I... I'm not sure," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "What do you want, Buster?"

He takes a deep breath, his hand still holding mine. "Cole, I think we need to take this one step at a time. First, I want you to know that I intend to take a paternity test."

My heart skips a beat. "You do?"

He nods, his expression serious but gentle. "I do. I wanted to wait until we got through everything with treatment for Maddie. But now that she's home and doing better, I think it's time. I think it will be appropriate for all of us to know definitively."

I swallow hard, nodding in agreement. "That makes sense."

Buster continues, his voice is soft but steady. "I have to be honest with you, Cole. The fact that I was a match for the stem cell transplant... well, it's pretty rare, even among direct family members. I feel fairly confident I know what the results will be."

His words reach inside me and grab my heart, squeezing it with an intensity that takes my breath away. I feel a whirlwind of emotions wash over me—relief that we might finally have answers, excitement at the possibility of confirming what we've both suspected and a touch of fear about what this could mean for our future.

My hands tremble slightly as I clasp them together, trying to steady myself. The weight of the moment settles on my shoulders, and I find myself both eager and hesitant to hear what comes next.

"How do you feel about that?" I ask, searching his face for any sign of hesitation or regret.

Buster squeezes my hand gently. "I'm... overwhelmed, to be honest. But not in a bad way. Maddie is an amazing little girl and the thought of being her father... it's incredible."

Tears well up in my eyes, and I blink them back. "You've already been so amazing with her, Buster. The way you stepped up and saved her life... I can never thank you enough."

He reaches up, brushing a tear from my cheek. "You don't have to thank me, Cole. I did what anyone would do for a child in need."

Not everyone, actually. I don't tell him, but I think about Steele. Buster sees what he has done as just a regular thing. He doesn't see himself as a hero. But what he did so easily, so naturally, is extraordinary.

I take a deep breath, gathering my courage. "Buster, I have to ask... what does this mean for us? For you and me?"

His dark eyes meet mine, mixed emotions swirling in their depths. I press on, my heart racing.

"I can see you'll be an amazing father to Maddie. You already have been, even before we knew. But..." I pause, swallowing hard. "Is that where it ends? Is that where our story ends?"

Buster's hand tightens around mine, his thumb tracing small circles on my skin. The gesture is comforting, but I can feel the tension in his touch.

"Cole, I..." he starts, then stops, seeming to search for the right words. "I don't want it to end there. Not at all."

Relief floods me, but I hold back, waiting for him to continue.

"These past few weeks, being here for you and Maddie, it's shown me something I didn't expect. I care about you both deeply. More than I thought possible."

I nod, encouraging him to go on.

"But I also know this is complicated. We've been thrust into this situation, and everything happened quickly. I think we need to be careful, for Maddie's sake as well as our own."

"What are you saying?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Buster leans in, his forehead almost touching mine. "I'm saying I want to be here for both of you. As Maddie's father, yes, but also... as more than that. If that's what you want too."

My heart soars at his words, but I can't help the nagging doubt that creeps in. "Are you sure? This is a lot to take on, Buster. A ready-made family, a child who's still recovering... it's not exactly the simplest situation."

Buster's eyes soften as he looks at me, his hand still holding mine. "Cole, I'm not sure where this will go, but I want to try it."

My breath catches in my throat, hope blooming in my chest.

He continues, his voice low and earnest. "My whole life, I've acted on impulse. Jumping from one thing to the next without much thought. But with you and this situation... it's different."

I nod, encouraging him to go on.

"I've been more thoughtful about it for the first time ever in my dating history. About you, about Maddie, about what this means. I've never approached anything like this before."

His words wash over me, and I feel a warmth spreading through my body. It's not just the relief of knowing he wants to be involved, but something more.

"What are you saying, Buster?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

He takes a deep breath. "I'm saying that I'm not going into this impulsively. I've thought about it a lot. And I want to be here for both of you. I want to see where this goes, not just as Maddie's father, but with you too."

"I'm committed to trying. That's what I'm saying. To be here for Maddie and explore what we could be together with you and me."

I lean in, my heart racing, and press my lips against Buster's. The kiss is passionate, urgent, and filled with all the emotions we've been holding back. His lips are soft yet demanding, and I feel myself melting into him.

Buster responds immediately, matching my intensity. His strong hands cup my face, pulling me closer. I run my fingers through his hair, reveling in its softness.

Without breaking the kiss, Buster gently pushes me down onto the couch. His body presses against mine, solid and warm. I feel the weight of him, comforting and exciting all at once.

My hands roam his back, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt.

Buster's tongue traces my lower lip, seeking entry. I part my lips, deepening the kiss. A soft moan escapes me as our tongues meet, dancing together in a heated rhythm.

Time stands still. The world fades away until there's nothing but us—our bodies intertwined, our lips locked in this passionate embrace. I lose myself in the sensation, in the taste of him, in the feeling of his body against mine.