Riley's POV

"Mommy, Brett's here!" Lily's excited voice carries from the living room.

I smooth my dress one last time before walking out, my hands trembling slightly with nervous energy. Brett stands in my doorway holding a bouquet of daisies - my favorite, not the expensive orchids he used to buy for show. Lily bounces on her toes beside him, her energy infectious since her surgery, her cheeks rosy with health.

"Ready for our date?" Brett asks, his gray eyes soft and hopeful.

"Where are we ...