Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
MILES
“ A re you going to be my daddy?” Bee’s question takes me off guard as I look up from the popcorn maker that I’m plugging in. Her big hazel eyes suck me in just like her momma’s do.
“What made you ask that, little bee?” I glance at the doorway for some reinforcement, but see no sign of Olivia. She must still be changing into her pajamas.
“Because you tell me all the time how much you love me and Momma. You take care of me and read me bedtime stories just like Uncle Jake does with Charlie. He’s a daddy, so I thought you might want to be mine.
I really want a daddy,” she whispers, as if it’s a big secret.
“Momma says mine lives far away. She told me she holds enough love for me inside her heart for Daddy’s place, too, but I still want one,” she admits in a hushed tone.
My heart gets lodged in my throat as I bend down and pick her up, setting her on the counter in front of me.
“You have a pretty amazing mom to hold that much love inside her,” I smile, and brush back her soft, dark curls .
“She’s the best mom in the whole world,” she says, clutching her worn puppy in her arms. “Are you going to move far away?”
She looks so sad at the thought that it tears my heart in two that she would ever be worried about me leaving.
“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. And one day, I would love nothing more than to be your daddy.
” I really hope Olivia is okay with me saying this, but we’ve had this talk together before, and she knows I want nothing more than to give Bee my last name one day.
I wouldn’t be telling Bee this right now if I didn’t want it to be true with every fiber of my being.
“Really?” Her eyes light up, and my whole world seems brighter.
“Really.” I hold my pinky finger out, and she wraps her little one around mine. “I pinky promise, and you can never go back on pinky promises. I love you, Bee. You and your momma have all the love in my heart. We’re a family now and always will be.”
She reaches up and throws her arms around me, and I hug her tight to my chest. “I love you more than all the stars in the sky.”
“That’s a lot of love,” I whisper, feeling my eyes go misty as my emotions get the best of me. “I love you more than all the stars in the sky and the moon. And the planets. And those spaceships that hold those little green aliens with the big eyes.”
Her giggles float through the air, and I grin at the beautiful melody they make. “That’s a lot of love,” she laughs.
I look up and see Olivia standing there. She wipes away the tears, and I can tell from the look on her face that she’s been standing there for a while.
“Why don’t you go pick out our movie, Bee? Your momma and I will be right there with the popcorn.”
“Okay!” I set her down, and she runs from the room with Gizmo chasing after her. “Don’t forget the M&M’s!” she yells from the living room .
“I won’t!” I chuckle, turning back to Olivia as she walks over to me.
“How long were you standing there?” I ask as she wraps her arms around me and hugs me tight.
“Long enough to know I’m in love with the most amazing man on this planet,” she sniffs and buries her face in my t-shirt.
“Just the planet? What about the little green alien with the big eyes? I mean, they do get to drive around in those cool-looking spaceships, but surely I’m more amazing than they are, too.”
She softly laughs, and I grin into her hair as I hold her.
“The whole universe, then,” she looks up and grins. I rub her dimple indent with my thumb as I take her face in my hands. “Definitely the whole universe,” she whispers.
“So I did okay with what I said? I don’t ever want you to feel like I’m overstepping any boundaries.
She just looked so scared that I was going to leave one day, and I had to tell her where my heart lies.
God, it killed me to see her beautiful eyes sad for even a second,” I breathe through the tightness in my chest.
“You did perfectly.” She looks at me like she looks at Bee…like I’m her whole world. I silently thank the heavens for sending her to me because she most definitely is mine. “You do realize, though, that she will be sad again, right? And one day, her heart will be crushed by a boy, and…”
“Stop right there,” I say, putting my finger to her lips to stop her words. “No guy will have the chance to crush her heart. I won’t let him.”
“You can’t stop her from getting hurt.” She shakes her head and laughs softly.
“No, but any guy who wants to date her is going to have to get through me first.”
“Spoken like a true girl dad already.” Laughing, she kisses me briefly on the lips before getting to work on the popcorn.
God, is this how my dad felt with Savi?
I thought I was protective of my sister, but it’s times a thousand when it comes to your daughter.
My daughter .
The two words come out so easily and feel so right that there is no doubt I want to make it official one day. Olivia and Bee Montgomery sound pretty fucking amazing if you ask me.
Miles
I need your girls’ help.
I lean back in my office chair and smile when the dots start to appear. I knew it wouldn’t take long for them to respond.
Savi
OMG! Is it finally happening?????
Lyla
You better not be messing with us, Miles. I’m pregnant and emotional.
Eve
This is soooo exciting!!!! I just scared the shit out of Ryder when I read the text and screamed.
Sophia
Give me a date because we want to be there. Don’t you dare do it until we arrive!!!
I laugh at all the texts shooting through like fireworks.
Miles
I’m thinking next week. I pick up the ring on Tuesday, and we have a shift together on Thursday. It doesn’t give us long to plan, but I don’t think I can wait any longer.
Savi
I can make Thursday night work!
Eve
Count me in!
Lyla
Just tell us what you have in mind, and we will help you get it ready!
Sophia
We wouldn’t miss it for the world! We will be there!
Savi
I can’t believe my last brother is getting engaged and will soon be married. I’m the one getting emotional now.
Eve
Our Miles is growing up. I’m not crying…you are.
Lyla
You guys are perfect for each other. I can’t wait to tell Charlie that her best friend will be her cousin.
Sophia
We couldn’t be happier that you found your person. We love her already.
I grin at the messages coming in. I love how they welcomed her into our family like she was a missing link that was finally found.
Miles
Thanks girls. So here’s what I’m thinking…
“You want to do what?” Ryder laughs when I give him my idea over the phone.
“Just roll with me on this and tell me what to do.” I’ve never been one to draw inside the lines, so when this idea came to me, I knew I had to find a way to pull it off.
“If this goes south, I’m blaming you,” he chuckles. “My job is to put cars together, not tear them apart.”
“It’s all on me if anything goes wrong,” I grin, knowing I have his help on this. “All I need are instructions on how to make it work. Or in this case, how not to make it work,” I laugh.
I listen to him tell me what to do before we say our goodbyes and hang up.
Leaning back in my office chair, I can’t stop the grin that splits my face. With the final plan in place, everything is ready. All I need to do now is wait for the call.