I should've known that the best laid plans never go as planned.

I should've known that the universe wouldn't be on my side.

Gracie introduced me to Andrew right around the one month mark of their relationship. We all went out to lunch on a Tuesday while Stevie was at daycare. The three of us were sitting at a booth in a small family-run Vietnamese restaurant with Gracie and Andrew together on one side and me third-wheeling on the other.

I took this opportunity to study my rival.

Andrew Marciano had a full head of graying salt-and-pepper hair, tanned skin, and light blue eyes. He appeared a bit older than Gracie and me. Early forties, maybe. I hated to admit it, but the douchebag wasn't bad looking.

After we finished ordering some spring rolls and pho, Andrew turned to me with a friendly smile. "Good to finally meet you, Gray."

"Likewise," I offered politely.

"Gracie talks about you all the time. She says you're an amazing dad to Stevie."

"I try my best," I replied with a laugh, "I think Gracie's just being nice, though. I'd be lost without her."

Andrew looked at Gracie. "Do you want to tell him? Or should I?"

The two shared a secretive smile that I 100% didn't approve of at all.

"I can tell him," mumbled Gracie, blushing.

She glanced at me almost shyly. "Andrew asked me to be his girlfriend this past weekend when we went to Sedona. And I said 'yes.'"

My eyes bugged out.

"Really? Already?" I gasped. "I mean... congratulations."

That's when I knew shit was getting serious.

"Thanks, Gray," Gracie murmured as a guarded emotion passed through her honey-brown eyes.

It was hard as fuck to get the words out of my mouth, but I willed myself to say, "I'm happy for you two."

Andrew shared another sickeningly sweet look with Gracie, smiling at her again, "We're very happy as well."

Unease writhed inside me.

We continued to chat some more once our food arrived. Once we were done eating, Andrew paid for his meal and Gracie's lunch. I paid for my food. It was a bitter pill to swallow, watching another man take care of my girl.

Afterwards, we parted ways, and I headed back to work in a pretty crappy mood.

Following my first meeting with Andrew that day, I was able to draw two very important conclusions.

Firstly—Andrew actually seemed to be a decent guy. I couldn't bring myself to hate him or find any reason why Gracie shouldn't be dating him. As a boyfriend, he was attentive and sweet to Gracie. He also treated me with respect even though I wasn't super friendly towards him.

Secondly—the two month limit I had set for Gracie and Andrew was now pointless. They were already exclusive. At the speed they were going, it was probably time for me to take action before the fucker tried to get down on one knee or something.

The next morning, however, I received a call from my mom's sister that changed everything.

"Please get your ass on the next flight to Chicago, Gray," Aunt Candice sobbed into the receiver. "Your mom had a heart attack. We've rushed her to the hospital. She's stable, for now, but she needs you."

A heart attack?

Hospital?

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach as I tried to process this overwhelming news.

Immediately, my military training kicked in. I started formulating a plan. Logistics for what needed to be done to resolve the crisis at hand. My time and resources were limited. Priorities needed to be reprioritized, and, just like that, I was no longer able to throw my hat in the ring for Gracie.

Over the next few months, my time was spent flying back and forth between Phoenix and Chicago to keep up with work and Stevie while helping my mom with her recovery process. Gracie pitched in with Stevie as much as possible. I didn't know how I could've done it without her. My mom's frequent visits to doctors and specialists took a toll on our whole family in Chicago. My aunt and uncle helped out as much as they could, but they had families and jobs and lives of their own as well. Mom needed help moving around the house, going to the bathroom, taking showers, and we couldn't afford a round-the-clock, at-home caregiver. Doctors also advised Mom to improve her diet and ease into a new exercise routine through physical therapy. To prevent another heart attack.

During this time, I endured a perpetual state of stress and exhaustion, I was probably spreading myself too thin, but there was no one else to take care of this shit except for me.

I was my mom's only son.

I was Stevie's father.

I had bills to pay.

With no choice, I manned up and soldiered on.

My trips to Chicago didn't calm down until December. It took over four months for my mom to make a full recovery from her heart attack. I was thrilled to see that she was healthy again and relieved that I could finally let go of some stress from her near brush with death. Take a moment to catch my breath. Focus on getting my own life in Phoenix back on track.

By then, Gracie and Andrew were more than a solid item. They had definitely grown closer during the time I spent running around Chicago. Gracie had even introduced Andrew to Stevie. I didn't know how I felt about having another man enter my daughter's life, but, at the end of the day, Stevie was as much Gracie's daughter as she was mine. If Gracie felt comfortable bringing Andrew around Stevie, then I trusted her judgment.

Despite all the setbacks, I hadn't given up on winning back Gracie. I simply needed to reconsider how I wanted to approach the whole situation.

If there was a possibility that I could give Gracie a happier future, if there was a chance that she wanted me to fight for her, then there was no way I'd hand her over to another man without making my intentions known.

Yet—

I could see how Andrew was able to make her happy.

If Gracie loved Andrew and wanted to be with him for good, then I was ready to walk away and never come in between them again. Gracie and I would remain co-parents, but, in all other facets of our relationship, I'd distance myself from her as much as possible and simply—

Wish her well.