Chapter 7 A Day of Firsts

The farm stretched wide beneath the sun, acres of green dotted with barns, coops, and laughter. The Blackwood Family Day was alive with energy-children darting between food stalls, employees smiling freely without the formality of office walls, the air thick with the scent of roasted corn and cotton candy.

Jason walked slightly ahead, his long strides slowed to match Liro's smaller ones. Aira followed close behind, her heart hammering with unease. Every instinct warned her that letting Jason into Liro's world even for a single afternoon, was a mistake.

But her son's delighted chatter drowned out her protests.

"Are there really eggs bigger than my fist?" Liro asked, his small hand raised for emphasis.

Jason's lips curved in amusement. "Bigger. We raise exotic hens here-heritage breeds. You'll see for yourself."

"Wow!" Liro's eyes widened with awe.

Aira tried to stay detached, but the sight of Jason stooping slightly, answering her son with patience and genuine interest, did something to her chest. Men like him weren't supposed to be good with children. They were supposed to be too polished, too busy, too distant.

And yet, here he was, listening as if Liro's every word mattered.

---

The chicken coop was larger than Aira had expected-a polished facility designed with care. Inside, rows of hens clucked softly, some wandering in open pens. Liro pressed his face against the safety glass, his breath fogging the surface.

"They are so many!" he exclaimed.

Jason crouched beside him, pointing. "See that one? That's a Brahma hen. She lays eggs almost as big as your hand."

"Really?" Liro gasped.

Jason nodded. "I'll make sure you get one to take home. You can show your friends."

Liro's grin nearly split his face. "Thank you!"

Aira's throat tightened. She wanted to stop Jason, to remind him this was unnecessary. But when she saw her son's joy, she couldn't bring herself to speak. Liro had never had a father figure in his life, never had anyone but her. And in one afternoon, Jason was giving him more wonder than she had managed in years.

She hated that part of her that wanted to let it continue.

Later, the trio wandered through the main field where activities buzzed. There were pony rides, face painting, and even a small petting zoo. Jason walked comfortably beside them, his hand brushing dangerously close to Aira's as if daring her to close the gap.

"Mommy, can I ride the pony?" Liro begged, tugging at her arm.

"Just once," she warned, though her voice was gentler than she intended.

Jason knelt again, adjusting the boy's tiny helmet with practiced ease. "You'll be a natural," he said, steadying Liro onto the saddle.

Aira watched in silence, her chest tight. Ethan-the man who had abandoned her when she told him she was pregnant hadn't even stayed long enough to hear Liro's first heartbeat. Yet his brother, without knowing the truth, was already giving her son the moments she had once dreamed he'd have.

The contradiction burned.

Liro squealed with joy as the pony trotted forward, Jason walking alongside the entire way, his hand steady on the reins. For a moment, Aira allowed herself to breathe, to imagine what life might be like if things were different-if secrets weren't chains around her heart.

But the illusion shattered the moment Jason glanced back at her, his eyes catching hers across the field. Heat spread through her chest at the intensity in his gaze, as though he wasn't just looking at her-he was seeing her.

She quickly looked away.

After the ride, Liro bounded into Jason's arms without hesitation. Jason lifted him easily, spinning him once before setting him down. Aira swallowed hard. Her son rarely trusted strangers so quickly, but with Jason, it seemed... natural.

"Hungry?" Jason asked, brushing hay from his sleeve.

"Yes!" Liro shouted.

Jason glanced at Aira, his tone careful. "Join me? The food tents are this way."

She hesitated, torn between refusal and her son's pleading eyes. Finally, she nodded. "Just a quick bite."

Jason's smile was small but victorious.

They sat at a picnic table under the shade of an oak. Jason ordered simple meals-burgers, corn on the cob, lemonade. He didn't flaunt wealth here; he blended seamlessly, laughing with employees who passed by, answering their greetings with warmth.

Aira studied him when he wasn't looking. She had expected arrogance, the kind of coldness that came with too much power. Instead, he was... human. Warm. Even charming in a way she hadn't prepared herself for.

"Mommy, look!" Liro said with his mouth full of corn, holding up his lemonade. "It's fizzy!"

Jason chuckled. "That's sparkling lemonade. A special treat."

"You like dinosaurs and lemonade?" Liro asked suddenly, his tone as serious as if he were evaluating a new friend.

Jason leaned in, lowering his voice as though sharing a secret. "I do. And between you and me, I once had a dinosaur toy that roared so loud my brother hid it from me."

Liro gasped. "No way!"

Jason's eyes flickered briefly-just for a second but Aira caught it. The word brother had slipped too easily, too naturally. She stiffened, reminded sharply of the truth she was hiding. Ethan's shadow loomed between them, unspoken but ever present.

She forced a laugh for Liro's sake, masking the panic rising inside her.

When the afternoon waned and families began packing up, Jason walked them back toward the parking lot. Liro's small hand was in his, swinging happily, as though he had known Jason forever.

"Thank you," Aira said softly, her voice tight. "For today."

Jason turned to her, his expression unreadable. "You don't need to thank me. I enjoyed it." His eyes lowered briefly to Liro, then back to her. "Both of you made it better."

Her chest clenched. "This can't happen again."

"Why not?" His tone was calm, but his eyes burned with quiet defiance.

"Because it's... complicated," she whispered.

Jason stepped closer, his voice low enough that only she could hear. "Life is always complicated, Aira. But some things are worth it."

Her breath caught. Before she could respond, Liro tugged at her sleeve. "Mommy, can we come back next time?"

She forced a smile down at him, her heart aching. "We'll see."

Jason's gaze lingered on her as she led Liro away, his jaw tightening with resolve.

He had already seen enough to know one thing: he wasn't walking away.

And Aira Daniels, no matter how many walls she built, was already his greatest fight.