Chapter 2

At soccer practice, Karen from the PTA couldn't help but "accidentally" drop her number near Rafe while he watched Lily practice. Her perfectly highlighted hair and designer athleisure wear screamed" desperate."

"My Tyler would love some private coaching," she said, twirling a strand of hair. "You look like you know how to handle... things."

Rafe shifts uncomfortably, entirely oblivious to her advances.

Meanwhile, on the beach cleanup day, a bronzed yoga instructor named Amber was practically throwing herself at JJ. "I'm always looking for a strong volunteer," she'd purr, leaning impossibly close.

JJ, more aware but equally uninterested, would just gesture to Lily. "Busy being a dad right now."

Their turning point came during the school's parent-teacher night.

Both arrived simultaneously with Rafe in a crisp navy blazer, and JJ in clean board shorts and a button-up. As a particularly aggressive single mom named Jennifer approached Rafe, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.

"Wait," she said, looking between them. "Are you... together?"

JJ slung an arm around Rafe's waist, pressing close with a mischievous grin. "Yep. Proud dad's right here."

Rafe, normally rigid, played along. "Our daughter's the most important thing."

The sudden shift was remarkable. Jennifer's flirtatious smile vanished. Karen, from soccer practice, suddenly developed an intense interest in her phone. The yoga instructor Amber found an urgent need to be somewhere else.

Lily, watching the entire scene, burst into giggles.

"Did you just—" Rafe started.

"—completely shut down their entire operation?" JJ finished, wiggling his eyebrows. "Absolutely."

Their daughter's laughter echoed through the school hallway. Another day in their unexpected family had begun.

The aftermath of their impromptu "we're together" performance was nothing short of hilarious.

At Lily's next soccer game, the entire parent section gave them a wide berth. Rafe and JJ sat side by side, sharing a thermos of coffee and trading commentary about Lily's impressive footwork.

"She's got your energy," Rafe observed, watching Lily dart across the field.

JJ grinned. "And your competitive streak."

Their friendship was still new, still fragile. Years of being on opposite sides of the Outer Banks social divide didn't disappear overnight. Rafe, once the privileged Kook, and JJ, the scrappy Pogue, were learning to navigate a shared parenthood that neither of them had expected.

Pope was the first of JJ's old friend group to visit them at home.

"This is... surreal," he said, watching Rafe help Lily with math homework while JJ prepared dinner–a chaotic symphony of chopping and occasional singing.

"Tell me about it," JJ muttered.

Lily, catching Pope's confused look, simply shrugged. "They're both my dads now."

Ms Kane's words echoed in their minds: Family isn't always what you expect.

Their shared custody arrangement became a delicate dance. Rafe brought structure–homework schedules, nutrition plans, and educational museum trips. JJ brought adventure–spontaneous beach days, storytelling, and teaching her how to surf.

"We balance each other," Rafe admitted one evening, after successfully tag-teaming bedtime story and tucking in.

JJ raised an eyebrow. "Did you just admit we work well together?"

A rare smile crossed Rafe's face. "Don't get used to it."

But they both knew something had changed. Two men who once would have rather fought than cooperate were now united by something bigger than their past differences–a little girl who needed them both.

Lily was their unexpected bridge, their connection.

The playful bickering became their love language.

"You call that a sandwich?" JJ would tease, watching Rafe meticulously cut Lily's lunch into perfect geometric shapes. "Kids want fun, not a culinary architecture exhibit."

Rafe would arch an eyebrow. "And your idea of nutrition is throwing random ingredients into a blender and calling it a smoothie?"

"Hey," JJ would counter, leaning in close enough that Rafe could smell the sea salt and sunscreen, "My smoothies are legendary."

Their proximity was deliberate, their arguments charged with something neither wanted to name. Lily would roll her eyes. "You guys are weird," she'd declare, but with the fondness of a child who knew her parents – however unconventional – loved her completely.

At the beach, their competitiveness turned flirtatious.

JJ would challenge Rafe to impromptu competitions. "Bet I can build a better sandcastle," he'd say, muscles flexing as he dramatically swept sand.

Rafe, never one to back down, would roll up his pristine white sleeves. "You're on, Maybank."

Their "friendly" competitions always drew amused looks from other beach-goers. Two grown men, totally absorbed in creating the most elaborate sand structure, while Lily ran circles around them, laughing.

"Precise architectural design beats chaotic creativity," Rafe would declare, adding intricate buttresses to his castle.

JJ would wiggle his eyebrows. "Want to bet?"

Their hands would inevitably brush. A moment of electricity. A shared breath.

Then Lily would shout, "Daddy! Papa! Look!"–shattering the moment.

Sarah Cameron found their dynamic hysterical. "You're telling me you STILL don't realize?" she asked once, watching them bicker over Lily's bedtime routine.

JJ dramatically drapes an arm around Rafe's shoulders. "What? We're just co-parenting perfection."

Rafe pushes him away, but not too hard. Not anymore.