Worth the Fall: A Single Dad, Romantic Comedy (Flirting with Forever Book 2)

The sharp clack of my heels against the marble floor of Harrison & Brooks echoes through the hallway as I rush toward my office, already running late for my morning meeting. My phone buzzes for the tenth time, and I know without looking it’s Linda reminding me about the Simmons call in five minutes.

‘I know, I know,’ I mutter, juggling my coffee and the stack of briefs I’d reviewed at midnight while trying to stay quiet enough not to wake Esperanza. Our three-year-old has recently decided sleep is optional, a trait she definitely inherited from her father.

I round the corner to find Linda waiting at my desk, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation. ‘You have glitter in your hair.’

‘Again?’ I groan, setting down my things to run my fingers through my strawberry-blond waves. Sure enough, sparkles cascade onto my navy blazer. ‘Felicity’s art project this morning. She’s determined to make everything ‘extra magical’ lately.’

Linda hands me a lint roller with practiced efficiency. ‘The joys of motherhood. By the way, Mr. Whitman wants to see you after the Simmons call. Something about the partner track.’

My heart skips a beat, but before I can respond, my phone lights up with a text from Miguel.

I bite back a laugh, typing quickly.

‘Earth to Mia.’ Linda waves her hand in front of my face. ‘Meeting in two minutes.’

‘Right, sorry.’ I straighten my blazer, trying to look more put-together than I feel. ‘How’s my hair?’

‘Still sparkly, but now it looks intentional.’ Linda grins. ‘Very fashion-forward.’

The morning passes in a blur of conference calls and contract reviews, but my mind keeps drifting to the organized chaos waiting at home. Our house has become a beautiful collision of my type A personality and the whimsical mess that comes with two little girls who believe glitter is a food group.

Just yesterday, I’d found crayon masterpieces decorating the hallway wall, courtesy of Esperanza’s artistic vision. Miguel had found me staring at them, probably expecting me to freak out about property damage. Instead, I’d grabbed a crayon and added a few hearts to her creation.

‘Look how far you’ve come,’ he’d said, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

He wasn’t wrong. Three years of marriage and motherhood had softened my edges in ways I never expected. The woman who once color-coded her entire closet now regularly shows up to court with princess stickers on her briefcase and doesn’t even mind.

My phone buzzes again—this time it’s Celine.

I smile, remembering how nervous I’d been when Celine first announced her pregnancy. But watching Felicity’s joy at having another sibling on the way has been incredible. Our blended family might look unconventional from the outside, but it works perfectly for us.

By six o’clock, I’m pushing through our front door, greeted by the smell of Miguel’s enchiladas and the sound of giggles from the playroom. I kick off my heels, letting my stockinged feet sink into the plush carpet that’s currently dotted with what looks like an entire container of craft supplies.

‘Mommy!’ Esperanza comes barreling down the hallway, her dark curls bouncing and her unicorn costume slightly askew. She crashes into my legs with the force of a tiny hurricane. ‘Look! I dancing unicorn!’

‘I can see that.’ I laugh, scooping her up. ‘Did you show all your dance friends your magical moves?’

She nods enthusiastically. ‘And Daddy, daddy did the unicorn dance too!’

‘Oh really?’ I raise my eyebrows, carrying her toward the kitchen where I can hear Miguel and Felicity talking. ‘I’m sorry I missed that performance.’

The sight that greets me in the kitchen makes my heart swell. Miguel stands at the stove, his suit jacket discarded and sleeves rolled up, while Felicity sits at the island, carefully arranging place settings. She’s gotten so tall lately, her legs swinging as she meticulously adjusts each fork.

‘There’s my girls,’ Miguel says, his face lighting up as he spots us. He crosses the kitchen to kiss me hello, and I breathe in the familiar scent of his cologne mixed with cooking spices.

‘Daddy dance like a unicorn,’ Esperanza announces again, clearly determined to ensure this information isn’t overlooked.

‘With full commitment,’ Miguel confirms solemnly. ‘There may be video evidence on Taylor’s phone.’

‘Oh, that’s definitely going in the Christmas card this year,’ I tease, setting Esperanza down as she squirms to get to her sister.

‘Felicity!’ She runs to the island. “Surprise! Surprise! Mommy surprise?’

Felicity’s eyes light up. ‘Oh yeah! Close your eyes, Mommy!’

I oblige, hearing the shuffle of papers and Miguel’s soft chuckle. ‘Okay, open!’

They’ve drawn a family portrait—clearly a joint effort between Felicity’s improving artistic skills and Esperanza’s enthusiastic scribbles. There’s Miguel and me, Felicity and Esperanza, and what appears to be Celine with a round belly and her husband.

‘It’s for the baby’s room,’ Felicity explains proudly. ‘So he knows his whole family loves him.’

‘It’s beautiful,’ I say softly, pulling both girls into a hug. ‘He’s going to love it.’

Over dinner, Felicity chatters excitedly about her upcoming role as big sister again. ‘I’ve been practicing with my dolls,’ she informs us seriously, ‘and I told Esperanza all about being the best little sister, because I’m basically an expert.’

‘You certainly are,’ Miguel agrees, reaching over to ruffle her hair. ‘Speaking of which, your mom called earlier. She’s coming over tomorrow to so that you can help set up the nursery at their place. Want to help pick out the perfect spot for your masterpiece?’

Felicity beams. ‘Can we bring the glitter paints? Every nursery needs glitter.’

‘Maybe we stick to regular decorations,’ I suggest quickly, catching Miguel’s amused look. ‘Remember what happened last time we let Esperanza near glitter paint?’

We all glance at the ceiling where a faint sparkly patch still catches the light despite multiple cleaning attempts. Esperanza looks entirely too proud of her permanent contribution to our home decor.

Later that night, after bath time (which somehow resulted in more water on the floor than in the tub) and bedtime stories (three books for Esperanza because she’s mastered the art of ‘just one more’), Miguel and I collapse onto the couch.

‘Whitman offered me the partner track today,’ I say quietly, curling into his side.

Miguel sits up straighter, his face breaking into a proud grin. ‘Mia, that’s incredible! Why didn’t you say something earlier?’

‘I wanted to process it first,’ I admit. ‘It’s going to mean longer hours, more responsibility. I don’t want to miss any moments with the girls.’

‘Hey.’ He turns to face me fully, his expression serious. ‘You’re an amazing mother AND an incredible lawyer. We’ll make it work, just like we always do. The girls are so proud of you—you should hear how Felicity brags about her lawyer mommy to everyone at school.’

‘Really?’

‘Really. Last week she told her entire class that you fight bad guys with your magic briefcase.’

I laugh, the tension in my chest easing. ‘Well, when you put it that way…’

‘You’ve got this,’ he says softly, pulling me closer. ‘And you’ve got us. Always.’

I rest my head on his shoulder, thinking about how far we’ve come. Three years ago, I was a mess of anxiety and perfectionism, trying to control every aspect of my life. Now here I am, surrounded by chaos and love, finally understanding that the best parts of life are the ones you can’t plan for.

The quiet moment is interrupted by a small voice from the hallway. ‘Daddy? Mommy? I had bad dream.’

We look up to see Esperanza clutching her unicorn , her lower lip trembling slightly. Without hesitation, I open my arms and she runs to us, climbing onto the couch and wedging herself between us—just like she does every night, bad dream or not.

‘Want to tell us about it?’ Miguel asks, brushing her curls back from her face.

She shakes her head, snuggling closer. ‘Can you just hold me?’

‘Always, baby,’ I whisper, sharing a look with Miguel over her head. This right here—this is everything I never knew I needed.

Tomorrow will bring new challenges. There will be more glitter explosions and crayon masterpieces, conference calls scheduled during dance recitals that we’ll have to navigate, and endless moments of beautiful chaos that no amount of color-coding could prepare me for.

But tonight, sitting here with my daughter’s warm weight against me and my husband’s steady presence beside us, I know with absolute certainty that this is exactly where I’m meant to be. This messy, wonderful, glitter-covered life we’ve built together—it’s better than any perfectly planned future I could have imagined.

Three years ago, I thought I had it all figured out. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted and how to get it. But life had other plans—better ones. It gave me a love story that started with a pickleball to the face and ended with a family that’s perfectly imperfect in all the best ways.

And I wouldn’t change a single sparkling moment of it.

My phone buzzes on the coffee table—it’s Celine.

‘Hey,’ I answer softly, trying not to disturb Esperanza who’s finally drifted off between us. ‘Everything okay?’

‘I think…’ Her breath catches. ‘I think it’s time. The contractions started about an hour ago.’

I’m immediately alert, carefully shifting Esperanza to Miguel’s lap as I stand. ‘We’ll be right there. I’ll call your mom to watch the girls.’

Miguel reads the situation in my face and nods, already moving to carry Esperanza back to bed. Within thirty minutes, we’ve got both girls settled with their grandmother, and we’re heading to the hospital to meet Celine and her husband, Mark.

‘Remember when this was us?’ Miguel asks as we navigate the quiet streets. ‘You threatening to never let me touch you again?’

I laugh, remembering the intensity of that day. ‘As I recall, you handled my labor rage quite gracefully.’

‘I had excellent motivation.’ He grins. ‘Our little unicorn princess was worth every crushed finger.’

We find Celine’s room easily, following the sound of her controlled breathing. Mark looks up when we enter, relief washing over his face. ‘Thank God you’re here.’

I move immediately to Celine’s side, taking her hand. Three years ago, I never would have imagined being here—holding my husband’s ex-wife’s hand as she prepares to give birth. But life has a funny way of reshaping your expectations.

‘How are you doing?’ I ask, squeezing her fingers.

‘Been better,’ she manages through gritted teeth. ‘But at least this time I know what to expect. How’s Felicity?’

‘Excited to meet her brother,’ Miguel assures her, stepping to her other side. ‘Though fair warning—she’s already planning his princess training program.’

This pulls a laugh from Celine despite her discomfort. ‘Of course she is.’

The next few hours pass in a blur of ice chips and encouragement. Mark proves to be as steady as Miguel was during Esperanza’s birth, never leaving Celine’s side. And when their son finally arrives, his angry newborn cry filling the room, we’re all crying happy tears.

‘He’s perfect,’ Celine whispers, cradling him close. ‘Alexander James.’

I watch Miguel meet our daughter’s baby brother for the first time, his face soft with wonder. He’s come so far from the hurt and anger of their divorce, found his way to this beautiful place of genuine joy for her happiness.

‘Want to hold him?’ Mark offers, and I’m surprised to realize he’s talking to me.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course,’ Celine says warmly. ‘You’re family.’

The word hits me right in the chest as I carefully take Alexander. He’s tiny and perfect, his dark eyes blinking up at me curiously. ‘Hello, little one,’ I whisper. ‘You’ve got quite the family waiting to meet you. We love you so much already little angel.”

Later that morning, we bring Felicity to meet their brother at the hospital. Deciding it will be better to let Esperanza meet him once Celine is home with him and a little more rested. Felicity approaches the hospital bed slowly, her usual exuberance tempered by awe.

‘He’s so small,’ she breathes, reaching out to touch his tiny hand. ‘Hi, Alex. I’m your big sister.

I lean against Miguel as we watch them, his arm warm around my waist. ‘Look at our girl,’ I murmur. ‘She’s amazing.’

‘Just like her bonus mom,’ he says softly, pressing a kiss to my temple.

When we finally get home that evening, exhausted but happy, we find Esperanza and her grandmother in the kitchen making cookies. The counter is covered in flour and sprinkles, and there’s icing in Esperanza’s hair, but her face lights up when she sees us.

‘Did baby come?’ she asks excitedly. ‘Is he sparkly?’

I scoop her up, not caring about the mess. ‘He’s here, and he’s perfect. Want to see a picture?’

She nods enthusiastically, and we spend the next few minutes showing her photos of her new baby brother. ‘Can we make him picture?’ she asks. ‘With extra glitter?’

‘Tomorrow, baby,’ I promise, sharing an amused look with Miguel. ‘For now, how about we finish these cookies?’

Later that night, after both girls are finally asleep, I find Miguel in our bedroom looking at old photos on his phone. ‘What’s got you feeling nostalgic?’ I ask, curling up beside him.

He shows me the screen—it’s from our wedding day, Felicity beaming between us in her flower girl dress. ‘Just thinking about how lucky I am,’ he says. ‘How perfectly everything worked out.’

I look at the photo, remembering that day and everything that led to it. The pickleball incident, the coffee dates, the way Felicity stole my heart before I even realized what was happening. Every step, every moment—even the hard ones—brought us here.

‘We did good, didn’t we?’ I say softly.

‘We did amazing,’ he corrects, pulling me closer. ‘And we’re just getting started.’

He’s right. This is just another chapter in our story—one filled with partner track celebrations and newborn snuggles, princess tea parties, and family game nights. There will be challenges ahead, moments when balancing it all feels impossible. But we’ll face them together, just like we always have.

Because that’s what families do. Even the perfectly imperfect, glitter-covered, beautifully blended ones like ours.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If bedside clocks are to be believed, it’s far too early to be awake. But Esperanza has other plans, bouncing into our room with all the energy of a caffeinated butterfly.

‘Mommy! Daddy! It’s baby day! Baby Alex! I made him something!’

I crack one eye open to find her brandishing what appears to be a paper covered in enough glitter to supply a craft store. Some of it has already transferred to our duvet, sparkling in the early morning light.

‘Indoor voice, munchkin,’ Miguel mumbles beside me, though I can hear the smile in his voice. ‘What did you make?’

‘A card!’ She climbs onto the bed, proudly displaying her creation. ‘See? Unicorns and, and, and dragons.”

“Dragons? Wow!” I’m impressed at her addition of a green scribble to her heard of rainbow colored unicorn scribbles.

“unicorns are better.’ She says firmly.

‘Can’t argue with that logic,’ I say, sitting up to examine her masterpiece. ‘But maybe we should let your sister’s mommy and Mark have some time to rest first? New babies need lots of sleep.’

Esperanza’s face falls slightly but then brightens. “More cards?”

“You want to make him more cards?”

She nods enthusiastically, “sissy says more.”

‘Of course she does.’ Miguel chuckles, finally giving up on sleep and pulling our daughter into a bear hug. ‘How about breakfast first, though?’

As if on cue, my phone chimes with a text from Linda.

I glance at Esperanza, now engaged in an animated three-year-old discussion with Miguel about the proper pancake-to-syrup ratio, and make a decision.

‘Everything okay?’ Miguel asks as I set my phone aside.

‘Perfect,’ I say and mean it. ‘Just adjusting some priorities.’

He gives me that soft smile that still makes my heart flip, even after all this time. ‘I love you, you know that?’

‘I had some idea,’ I tease, leaning over to kiss him.

‘Eww, kissy face!’ Esperanza declares, wriggling between us. ‘Pancake time!’

The kitchen quickly becomes a war zone of flour and measuring cups. Esperanza insists on helping, which means half the batter ends up on the counter instead of in the bowl. But her face when Miguel lets her add chocolate chips to the mix is worth every mess.

That evening, after a surprisingly productive day of working from home interspersed with glitter card-making sessions, I find myself in Esperanza’s room for bedtime stories. She’s arranged her stuffed animals in what she calls ‘The Grand Unicorn Council’—a tradition she learned from Felicity that’s evolved into an elaborate nightly ritual.

‘Princess Waddles needs to sit at the head of the council,’ Felicity instructs from the doorway, already in her pajamas. She crosses the room with all the authority of a seven-year Supreme Court Justice of stuffed animal proceedings.

‘Of course,’ I agree solemnly, adjusting the well-loved penguin to its proper position. ‘How could I forget protocol?’

Miguel appears in the doorway, leaning against the frame with an amused smile. ‘Are we convening the council? Should I grab my official unicorn tie?’

‘Daddy!’ Esperanza giggles. “A crown and sparkly things!’

‘Ah, my mistake,’ he says, accepting the plastic tiara she hands him without hesitation. The sight of my husband—one of Chicago’s top corporate lawyers—wearing a pink crown covered in fake gems while maintaining a completely serious expression makes my heart swell.

‘The council needs to discuss very important things,’ Felicity announces, arranging the last unicorn in its place. ‘Like baby Alex and how we’re going to teach him about proper princess protocol even though he’s a boy.’

‘Very crucial matters,’ Miguel agrees, settling onto the floor beside me. His hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining automatically.

‘Princess Waddles thinks every baby needs at least one unicorn,’ Felicity declares, hugging the penguin close. ‘For good luck.’

“Good luck!” Esperanza echoes with a clap of her little hands.

‘Well, we can’t argue with Princess Waddles,’ I say. ‘She’s never steered us wrong before.’

And she hasn’t. That stuffed penguin has been there through it all—from my first awkward attempts at bonus motherhood to Esperanza’s birth, from late-night anxiety sessions to morning victory dances. She’s attended tea parties and court preparations, dance recitals and partner track celebrations.

‘Remember when you first gave her to me?’ I ask Felicity softly. ‘When I was scared about the baby?’

Felicity beams. ‘She made everything better, right? That’s her magic.’

‘That’s your magic,’ I correct her, pulling her close. ‘You knew exactly what our family needed, even before I did.’

Miguel squeezes my hand, and when I look at him, his eyes are soft with memory. ‘Our little matchmaker,’ he says. ‘The original unicorn council president.’

‘And now we have the best council ever,’ Felicity adds, helping Esperanza arrange her own growing collection of magical creatures around us. ‘With extra sparkles.’

As I sit there, surrounded by stuffed animals and plastic crowns, my daughters’ laughter mixing with Miguel’s warm chuckle, I think about how perfectly imperfect everything turned out. The unicorn council might not be what I imagined for my life when I was planning every detail, but it’s exactly what I needed.

A family built on love and glitter, held together by penguin magic and princess protocols, growing stronger with each new addition and challenge. My type A planning couldn’t have created anything better than what chaos and fate delivered.

‘Time for sleep, my little council members,’ Miguel announces, kissing both girls good night.

Later, as we’re closing their doors, he pulls me close in the hallway. ‘Happy?’ he asks softly.

I look at the crayon art on the walls, the glitter embedded in the carpet, the stuffed animals peeking out of every corner.

‘Very.’

‘Good, you deserve to be.’ He kisses my forehead, holding his arms open so I can step into his embrace. ‘You deserve the world, mi amor, even if it’s chaos at times.’ He chuckles, that deep, warm sound still sending little butterflies dancing through me.

I can’t help but think about how some falls are worth the landing. That terrifying plunge into love and chaos brought me here. Our love story might have started with a literal fall on a pickleball court, but it turns out falling for Miguel Ramirez was the best decision I never planned to make. And as I settle into his open arms, I know with absolute certainty that this fall was worth every single sparkly step.

‘It’s perfect,’ I whisper, stretching up to kiss him. ‘Unicorn council approved.’

And really, what better endorsement could anyone ask for?