Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 360

Dennis Williams finally brought Lillian back.

“Mommy!”

As soon as she saw her, the little girl came running over, cheeks flushed with excitement, proudly showing off. “Mommy, look at my new dress! Isn’t it cool?”

Camila Davis couldn’t help but smile at her daughter’s joy. “I saw! You look awesome!”

“Uncle Dennis gave it to me! I love it!”

Lillian beamed, her tiny face full of happiness.

Lightning, their golden retriever, trotted over too, wagging his tail as if begging for praise.

Camila laughed, crouched down to ruffle his head, and said, “You’re looking handsome too, Lightning!”

“Woof woof!”

Lightning spun in a circle, clearly thrilled.

When Dennis Williams finally walked over, Camila turned to him, gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you so much, Mr. Williams. You’ve had your hands full with these two all day.”

Dennis grinned. “No problem at all. They’re both adorable, and honestly, I had a great time. It’s rare to get a day to just relax. And Lillian’s doing great now—she’s all better.”

Camila felt at a loss for words, so she just thanked him again. “Really, thank you.”

Dennis waved her off. “It was nothing, really. Happy to help.”

He glanced at his watch. “Why don’t you and Lillian go change? I’ll drive you both home in a bit.”

“Sure!”

Camila had no objections, and soon she was taking Lillian to get changed.

But in the end, they didn’t get to leave.

Mr. White, having heard Camila was around, came over to personally ask for her help with some new special ops soldiers who needed treatment.

It wasn’t as heavy a workload as last time, but some injuries were still pretty serious.

By the time Camila finished up in the medical wing, it was already midnight. Outside, a heavy rain was coming down, the air damp and cold.

Mr. White noticed and immediately said, “Hang on, Ms. Davis, I’ll have someone bring you an umbrella.”

Camila looked surprised. She knew her daughter well, and even if Lillian was tired, she usually struggled to relax in new places. “She really went to sleep that easily?”

Dennis thought for a moment. “I told her a bedtime story. It wasn’t exactly thrilling, so she nodded off.”

Camila stopped in her tracks, surprised. “You told her a bedtime story?”

Dennis nodded, a little sheepish. “First time ever, honestly. I probably wasn’t very good, but Little Camila didn’t seem to mind.”

Camila looked at him, her heart a little tangled up. It was almost funny—Lillian’s own father, Jordan Smith, had never once told her a bedtime story. But Dennis always seemed to step in without a second thought and do all the things that mattered.

She realized, not for the first time, how much she’d let Lillian miss out on by holding onto her failed relationship with Jordan for so long. What a waste those years had been.

Dennis caught her staring and raised an eyebrow. “What’s up?”

His voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she quickly looked away. “Nothing… I’m just glad she’s sleeping. I was worried she’d be restless.”

Dennis smiled gently, his voice warm. “Not at all. Lillian’s honestly the sweetest, best-behaved kid I’ve ever met.”

Hearing her daughter praised, Camila couldn’t help but feel proud. But thinking about all Dennis had done for Lillian, she found herself blurting out, “If you ever get married and have kids, Mr. Williams, you’re going to make one heck of a dad.”