He'd kept his word. Every single day since New Year's, he'd shown up. At first, it had been video calls, FaceTime sessions where Lily would press her face against the screen and babble about her day while Sebastian listened like she was presenting a doctoral thesis. Then, weekend visits where he'd driven the two hours from his temporary rental to spend Saturdays in the park, Sundays making pancakes that Lily helped with by getting flour absolutely everywhere.
He'd learned that Lily hated peas, but would eat them if you called them tiny green balls; that she had a stuffed bunny named Hop who was Ellie's best friend; that she could sing the alphabet song, but skipped the letters M through P entirely; that when she was tired, she rubbed her left ear and got increasingly dramatic about minor inconveniences.
He'd also learned that Nora took her coffee with just a splash of milk, that she hummed when she cooked, that she still bit her lower lip when concentrating, that she was kind and patient and stronger than anyone he'd ever met, and that he was still completely, devastatingly in love with her.
Today was different, though. Today, Sebastian had signed the lease on an apartment three blocks from Nora's. Today, he was officially becoming a permanent part of their daily life.
He pressed the buzzer.
"Hello?" Nora's voice crackled through the intercom.
"It's me. I brought the books Lily wanted."
The door buzzed open. Sebastian climbed to the third floor, his pulse quickening with each step. When he reached apartment 3C, the door was already open. Lily stood there in pink overalls, her face lighting up like he'd hung the moon.
"Dada!" She launched herself at his legs with the full-body enthusiasm that had become his favorite greeting.
Sebastian set down the box and scooped her up. "Hey, troublemaker. Did you miss me?"
"Yes! Mama said you coming today and staying and staying and staying!"
"That's right. I moved into a new apartment really close by. Want to see it later?"
"Yes! Can Mama come?"
"If Mama wants to."
Nora appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She wore jeans and an old sweater, her hair in a messy bun, no makeup. She looked perfect.
"You really did it," she said softly, taking in the boxes stacked in the hallway behind him. "You actually moved here."
"I told you I would."
"I know, but..." She stopped, emotion flickering across her face. "People say a lot of things, Sebastian. They don't always follow through."
"I'm not people."
He set down the box, watching as Lily immediately ran to the box of books and began examining them with scholarly interest. "And I meant every word."
Nora leaned against the doorframe, studying him. "Your mother called me yesterday."
Sebastian's jaw tightened. "What did she say?"
"She wanted to meet for coffee to discuss the situation." Nora's tone was carefully neutral. "I told her I'd think about it."
"You don't have to meet with her, not if you're not ready."
"I know, but—" Nora glanced at Lily, who was now reading to her stuffed animals in the serious voice she used when pretending to be a teacher. "Lily deserves to know her grandmother, if Catherine can treat us with respect."
"That's a big if."
"I know. Nora met his eyes. But I also know what it's like to grow up without extended family. My grandparents died when I was young. It was just me and my parents. I don't want that for Lily if there's another option."
This was so quintessentially Nora: putting Lily's needs first, extending grace even to someone who'd treated her terribly.
"You're too generous," Sebastian said.
"Or maybe I just believe people can change." Her gaze was steady. "You did."
The words hung between them, weighted with everything unsaid.
"Dada, look." Lily held up a book about construction vehicles.
"Big truck!"
"Huge truck," Sebastian agreed, moving to sit on the floor with her. "Should we read it?"
They spent the next hour in that familiar pattern: Lily bringing books and toys, Sebastian following her lead while Nora worked in the kitchen. Domestic, comfortable, almost like a real family. Almost, because there was still a wall between him and Nora, still a careful distance she maintained, a guardedness in her eyes that reminded him daily of the trust he'd broken.
When Lily went down for her afternoon nap, Sebastian helped Nora with the dishes. They worked in silence, the only sound the running water and the clink of plates.
"I saw the article," Nora said finally.
Sebastian stilled. "Which one?"
"The one where you announced stepping back from day-to-day operations of Hale Hotels, appointing Marcus as CEO." She handed him a plate to dry. "That's a big decision."