His Mother's Eyes

Chapter Six

This chapter is dedicated to two awesome friends!

Happy Birthday, Daria! (ig: klausoriginials) All the love and best wishes!

For Reece (ig: hopanscurse), the birthday gift that keeps giving! I hope the last three chapters have been one of your greatest gifts ever! *giggle*

* * *

"Mommy, Daddy?" a gentle voice said from the doorway.

Hope and Ryan let go and turned as one, both a little shocked.

"Charlie, honey," Hope said, walking forward and squatting down in front of her. "What did you just say?"

Charlie looked between the two of them with wide eyes.

"Open box?" she said, pointing behind her at one of the toys that was still in the box and she wanted help with.

"Who do you want to open the box?" Hope asked, breath caught.

"You or Daddy?" Charlie said.

For the first time, Hope didn't know what to do. On the one hand, if everything worked out between her and Ryan as she hoped it would, she knew Ryan would be a father to Charlie as well as James. On the other, if it didn't work out, then Charlie really shouldn't be calling Ryan that.

"Honey, you know—" she started but Ryan interrupted.

"Yeah, I'll open the box," he said, walking forward and bending to reach for Charlie.

She lifted her arms and he picked her up and pulled her close.

"Which box is it?" he said as he carried her into the suite.

Hope stared after them with her heart in her throat and stars in her eyes.

Please, she thought. Please let this all work out.

* * *

Hope was going to correct Charlie.

He knew it, and maybe he should have let her.

But he didn't.

Instead, he swooped in and grabbed Charlie to go open the box she wanted.

Hearing Charlie call him "Daddy" made him suddenly want to be that for her.

He had long since fallen for this little girl, and if she wanted him to be her father, he would do it.

Honestly, he wasn't sure if she understood what it meant. She hadn't grown up with a father. Plus, he couldn't remember the last time Charlie called him Ryan. Hope had introduced him that way, and Hope always called him by his name, but James always called him "Daddy." It was possible Charlie just picked it up because James did it.

But he didn't mind.

Throughout the rest of the day, he could tell Hope was still hesitant about it. She was also hesitant about his words from that morning. He knew when he told her he would try, she hoped for more.

He wanted to give her more but something held him back. He couldn't explain it. When he kissed her, he was almost certain he was one hundred percent all in with her. But he couldn't speak the words. Maybe he needed time to get used to it in his head first.

Whatever it was, it only allowed him to say he was willing to try.

That was all he could give her for now.

They spent most of Christmas playing with the kids and their toys.

To get some exercise, they went for a walk before lunch, taking in the little ski village they hadn't paid much attention to since their arrival. Hope loved the craft jewelry and quilts, so she picked up a few while they were shopping around.