37. Vivian
Chapter thirty-seven
Vivian
Walker’s rich laughter echoes off the walls, making me grin like a loon. I wasn’t sure what to expect when Savannah encouraged me to invite him to join our family’s New Year’s Eve party, but if we’re going to do this for real, he’ll have to be comfortable being around my family. I may not have had expectations before tonight, but if I did, he would have exceeded every single one of them.
That seems to be a common thing for my Special Agent Man.
Eloise was disappointed he didn’t bring Ghost with him tonight, but Walker was quickly forgiven when he promised to bring his dog over soon. When Eloise requested Walker dance with her during the dance party portion of the evening, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. He twirled her like a pro around Daddy’s living room. Watching him carry her around and Eloise fling her arms around his neck in a big hug made it hard for me to take a breath as I fought the emotions threatening to take over.
“But then how did you get out of there?” Walker is captivated by Ryan’s story about a date that went terribly wrong the other month.
“I panicked when she was talking about our future kids—including their names—and how much her mother was going to love me before we even had the main course.” Ryan grimaces and fakes a shudder of horror. “But I knew from her profile that she was obsessed with her cat, so I casually mentioned that I’m deathly allergic to cats.”
“Since when?” Daddy calls out from the kitchen.
“Oh, never. I’m not allergic to cats, I like dogs better, but cats are fine.” Ryan laughs and his mischievous grin has me shaking my head.
“You need to stay off the dating apps, man. They’re not worth it.” Jack shakes his head and takes a gulp of his beer.
“So I can be a lonely, grumpy old man like you? I’ll keep that in mind.”
“I’d rather be single than attached to a stage five clinger who named my potential future children before the salads arrive, asshole. That girl sounds like she was going to lock you up in her basement the first chance she got!”
Ryan grabs a throw pillow from the couch and chucks it at Jack’s head. “Keep telling yourself that, Jacky Boy. We all know you like ‘em a little crazy!” Ryan wiggles his eyebrows as we all burst out laughing because he has a point. Jack’s dating history has been a closely guarded secret we only find out about after they break up, but we’ve heard enough stories over the years to know that Ryan isn’t wrong—Jack has terrible taste in women.
“Mama?” Eloise’s soft voice carries down the staircase and I jump up to check on her. We had a fake countdown earlier for the kids so they could go to bed at a decent time, but as I scoop my girl up from the top of the stairs, I suspect I will ring in the actual new year with her anyway.
“Did you have a bad dream, baby?” I kiss her temple and walk down the hall to her room here. Daddy has a guest room for each granddaughter, even though half the time they all end up in sleeping bags on the floor of the theater room. She yawns and shakes her head.
“I don’t know. I just needed you. Will you stay with me?”
“Of course, baby, let’s get you tucked in and then I’ll sit right next to the bed, okay?” She nods and her eyes are already closing before I even pull the covers up.
I sigh and sit against the wall. I pull my phone out to text Walker when I notice the bedroom door push open a little more.
“Is she okay?” Walker whispers into the room.
“Yeah, she just needed me, I guess,” I whisper as I can’t help but wonder what he thinks of dating a single mom. My daughter will always come first, and sometimes that means interrupting fun plans with the reality of being a parent. He nods as he softly walks into the room and takes a seat next to me on the floor.
“You can go back downstairs if you want, I’ll be down as soon as I know she’s asleep.”
“Your family is great, Viv, but I’d rather be wherever you are.” He extends an arm over my shoulders, and I scoot closer as he tucks me under his arm.
“I’m happy you’re here.” It’s a bit easier to be honest in the dark.
“Me too. Although, I will demand a rematch of that card game with your brothers. I’m not sure how, but I think Finn was cheating.”
“Actually, Liam was the one cheating. He just made it look like it was Finn.” I stifle a giggle.
“I don’t know if our brothers can ever meet. The world may not be ready for that level of shenanigans.” He presses a soft kiss to the crown of my head.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For choosing to sit with me. For being here.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Sugar.”
I smile in the dark because it’s not only sweet—I know it’s true. I know everything about Walker is true.