You had met Jim Street at a time when neither of you were looking for anything complicated—just something real, something steady in a life that rarely stayed that way for long. Over time, what started as cautious dates turned into something deeper. You trusted him enough to let him into pieces of your world, but there was one part you held back: your daughter. Not out of dishonesty, but protection. You needed to be sure he wouldn’t just step into your life—but stay in it.