Chapter 26
“Don’t you think it’s a bit soon?” Mia frets, wringing her hands in a way that makes my own fingers ache.
I reach across the table to capture her hands and rub them until they’re warm and pliant.
The girls are getting themselves dressed for the day, leaving Mia and I in the first moment of peace since their little eyes popped open this morning.
“If you want to wait to tell the girls about us, we can wait.”
Mia’s comfort is a top priority, but I’d be lying if I said I wanted to wait another minute to publicly claim this woman. Kids are intuitive, and I’d rather get ahead of their suspicions and ease them into the new state of our blended family.
“No. Yes. I mean…I don’t want to wait. But what if it upsets them? What if Harper likes me as her nanny but not as a step-parent? What if—” I stop her spiral when I release her hands and get down on one knee at her feet.
“I have a story to tell you.” I take one of her trembling hands and cradle it in mine, massaging her palm with my thumbs.
“After what was likely the best day of Harper’s ten years of life, I was tucking her into bed.
She recounted every special, magical detail she loved from the birthday party you so lovingly planned.
Every friend, decoration, treat, and gift.
But safe in her bed, ready to dream riding that unicorn, do you know what she wished for? ”
“What?” she whispers.
“She wished you would be her mom.”
Mia’s free hand flies to her mouth, barely containing a sobbed gasp.
“She told me Everly loves you so much and that she’d love you that much if you were her mom. She in no uncertain terms, said that if you were her mom, I could be Everly’s dad.” I choke up at the thought.
Tears softly track down her rosy cheeks.
“Honey, you have nothing to worry about. You’re desperately wanted in this home and in this family. If anyone should be worried, it’s me.”
I’ve got to win Everly over to ask for her mother’s hand and pray she might someday see me as a father figure.
“She really said…she wishes…I was her mom?” Mia says through sobs.
“Her exact words were ‘I wish Mia was my mommy too,’ and now they’re branded onto my heart.” I take her upturned palm and press it to the organ beating wildly in my chest.
“And…you want me to be Harper’s mom?” Mia asks, nervously biting at her lips.
“You’re a phenomenal mother to Everly and have been everything Harper’s needed. I would be honored for you to be Harper’s mom.” Tears flood my eyes, and I do nothing to stop them from falling.
“I’d love that, Greyson, so much. I love your little girl like she’s my own.”
“I know you do, honey.” I stand with a groan, fuckin’ late thirties are killing me.
Sitting back in my chair I pat my lap and motion for her to come sit with me. She does without hesitation, looping her arms around my neck.
“Do you want to be Everly’s dad?” Mia asks hesitantly. “I know our situation is different, because Carter’s still in the picture whether I want him to be or not.”
Not for long he won’t be, if I have anything to say about it—but I’ll keep that close to the vest until the time comes.
“Honey, if she’ll have me, I’ll protect that little girl to the ends of the earth. She’ll never want for anything, or question how much she’s loved. There’s no greater gift than being her dad.”
Mia drops her face into my neck, releasing years of pressure from being a single parent. She’ll never face the weight of doing it alone ever again. I’ll show up for my girls every day I have left in this life.
Her breathing slowly returns to normal, and she dramatically wipes her tears on the shoulder of my shirt, making me laugh.
“Glad I could be of service as your handkerchief,” I jest.
“You’re a really good tissue.” Her laughter puffs my chest with pride. Making this iridescent woman happy is the ultimate privilege.
My hand rubbing her back finds its way to grip the back of her neck.
The unconventional nature of our coupling doesn’t escape me. We moved in together, essentially co-parenting for the past six months. Our feelings grew in secret, coming to a head with a life-changing first kiss.
We professed our love and devotion for each other with only one kiss under our belts. She spent one day resting in my bed, and it took every ounce of self-restraint I had to let her go back to sleeping in the room with Everly.
Since her accident, we’ve shared stolen kisses and sweet touches, but nothing further. I’ve never even taken my woman on a date, and we’ve just committed to parenting the other’s child. We’ve done this ass-backwards, but somehow, life is exactly what it’s meant to be.
My lips claim hers in a bruising kiss, conveying everything I’m not eloquent enough to say. She sinks into the kiss without a hint of resistance.
“Hurry! They’re kissing!” We freeze like two teenagers getting caught necking.
“I think they know,” Mia jokes, lips still pressed to mine. I huff a laugh and place one last kiss to her swollen pout.
“Girls, come out. We’ve got something we’d like to talk to you both about.” Mia stands from my lap, and I can’t resist giving her ass a tap as she steps away toward the living room.
Our little ducks follow their mama-duck and plop down on the couch, one on each side. The sight of my three girls tugs me toward them with an invisible string.
I sit on the coffee table, facing their beautiful faces. Mia raises her eyebrows nervously, and I have no problem leading the conversation, but before I can open my mouth, my daughter beats me to it.
“Are you in love?”
Everly bounces in her seat like the cushion’s a trampoline.
“Are you getting marry?” Everly says.
“Married,” Mia corrects without thinking, having no idea what that does to me. Because there’s no question I’ll be marrying her—but Carter needs to be dust in the wind before I can make that happen.
“Are you going to be my mom?” Harper grips Mia’s arm so hard it’ll leave marks.
Heads whip the opposite direction as Everly asks, “Are you going to be my new dad?”
My eyes lock with Mia’s which are sparkling with pure joy.
“Are we going to be sisters?” The pitch Harper emits could shatter glass.
Everly sits up on her knees and holds her mom’s face between her chubby little hands. “Mama, can Harper please, please, pleeeeease be my sister?”
Face squished, Mia manages to answer, “Is that what you want, baby?”
“Yes!” Everly’s squeal breaks the sound barrier.
I chuckle. “Alright, calm down everyone.” I direct my full attention to Everly.
“I love your mom, and I want to be her partner. I’d be honored to be your dad, if you’ll have me.”
“Yes please!” she chirps. “Mama, can Mr. Greyson please be my new daddy? I don’t like my other dad.”
Mia flinches like she’s been slapped but recovers quickly. “Yea, baby. Greyson would love to be your dad.”
“Okay, you can be my daddy.” Her smile cracks open a new place in my heart made especially for her.
“I promise to always be there for you. You’re my daughter just like Harper is.” I wink at my ten-year-old baby.
Mia shifts in her seat to face Harper and takes her by the hands.
“It’s been the greatest pleasure to be your nanny, Harper. I love your dad very much, just like I love you. And if you’ll let me, I would love to be your mom.”
Harper’s face is unreadable, Mia’s and my every breath suspended waiting for her reply.
She leans into Mia and whispers, “You’re my birthday wish come true. I wished you could be my mommy just like Everly, and now you are!”
Harper throws herself into Mia’s arms and they hug, laughter filling the room.
“Daddy, is Mia still my nanny?” Harper asks, snuggled into her new mom.
“No, but not much will change around here. She’ll still take just as good care of you as she always has,” I explain.
Mia and I discussed this at length. She’s still reluctant to rely on a man for all her financial needs. I plan on giving her more than she could possibly imagine and am humbled by her trust in my promises. I’ll earn that trust brick by brick until it’s unbreakable.
“Can we go now? Auntie Livy promised to take me for a ride on Maisey today,” Harper says, completely nonplussed by the gravity of the conversation we just had.
“Sure. Go find your boots and try to go potty before we leave.”
Everly bounces up with Harper, who takes her by the hand, bounding down the hall—their tiny voices carrying through the small apartment.
“Now my Auntie Livy and Auntie Izzy and Auntie Delilah will be your aunties! And my Uncle Reid and Uncle James and Uncle Connor will be your uncles too!”
“Can your gramma and grampa be my gramma and grampa too? My gramma and grampa are mean.”
I know her brutal honesty is a sign of her age, but it’s gotta gut Mia. Due to circumstances she had no control over, Everly’s lived without Mia’s beloved sister; and the one set of grandparents she has, are cruel, power-hungry narcissists.
“That was easy,” I say, trying to bring her back to me.
“Kids are resilient.”
“That they are.” I squeeze her knee encouragingly. “What do you say? Should we take our daughters to the ranch and unleash them on their unsuspecting aunts and uncles?”
“Definitely.” Happiness radiates from her like a golden halo.
Somehow, the universe got her off that bus in Swiftwater right where she belongs.
With me.
I should’ve taken prophylactic pain killers, because my god the screeching from these women might’ve permanently damaged my eardrums.
Liv was over the moon to gain a second niece. She saddled up three horses and declared it to be a “no boys allowed” ride. She mounted Maisey, her loyal mare, and Everly snuggled in between her thighs.
Delilah hoisted Harper up onto her black and white paint, Hope, before mounting the mare herself, caging my daughter in with her loving arms.
Izzy pouted like a child that she didn’t have a cute little niece to ride double with, but Mia’s not all that comfortable solo yet. So, we swapped the buckskin Liv had saddled for Izzy, for a towering thoroughbred who could easily handle two grown women’s weight for a short ride.
Reid got the two of them settled and the six of them rode off into the glittering snow talking at high-speed, giggles dancing with the winter wind.
“Mom and Dad are going to be thrilled,” Reid says, arms crossed over his barrel chest, beside me. “They’ve got another grandchild to dote on, so thank you for taking the fuckin’ pressure off the rest of us for at least a couple months.”
He laughs because Cecelia can be relentless, and as far as I know, there’s no plan for any Lucky Spurs Ranch babies anytime soon.
“Thanks for being so welcoming to Mia and Everly. It means a lot,” I say, not wanting to make this a thing.
“Shut the fuck up. Of course, you dipshit.” Yep, he doesn’t want to make it a thing either.
“I’ve got three certified horse girls on my hands, don’t I?”
I turn to walk toward Reid’s place, where we’ll wait for the women to get back. He follows, chuckling. After so many years of him being a ghost, I’m still caught off guard at how easily he smiles these days. The power of the love of a good woman.
“Looks like I’ll be in the market for a horse, or three.”
“Let’s start with one. Already got one earmarked. A sweetheart came in with the last group of rescues. She’s got the perfect temperament for your girls.” A clap on my back, and he walks ahead of me toward his cabin.
If my dad could see me now…
Not sure how a resentful little shit grew to be a man with two incredible daughters, the perfect woman, and a huge found family, but I think he’d be proud.
He’d rough me up for giving up on Meredith, but there’s nothing I’m willing to do about that. A mother who gives up on her child doesn’t deserve real estate in my brain.
Things are falling into place beautifully. Life will be perfect once Carter Whitaker is out of the picture—permanently.