got so excited at the concession stands.
“We eat first, then cinema and popcorn. Your mom will kick my ass.”
“Oh, you said a bad word.”
“Sorry.”
“I won’t tell if you get sweets too.” She curled her lips in a hopeful grin.
“Unbelievable.” I pulled her to me and hugged the little squirt. My brother’s negotiation skills were rubbing off on the kid.
A few hours later, with bleeding ears after hearing that God forsaken song for the billionth time, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.
Will: She said yes! Can you bring Izzy home?
Me: On my way. Congrats
My lips curved into a grin. My chest warmed. Nothing was taking Emily away from him. The moment I set eyes on them together I knew he had found the woman to complete him. She didn’t want to change him. Jo found the exact same in Lou, and I adored both women for it.
We made it back to their house in record time. Izzy ran up to the door and it opened before she knocked. Her mom was standing there with tears in her eyes.
“Izzy,” she cried and squat down to take her daughter in her arms. Izzy regarded her mom with a concerned frown as tears of joy rolled down Em’s cheeks. Will came into view and scooped them both from the floor.
Shaking my head, I followed them into the house. Izzy sat on her mom’s lap, holding her hand and chattering about the ring. I stood beside Will and slapped him on the back.
“Congratulations, man.”
“Thanks,” he said, smiling over at the girls on the couch.
“You happy now?” I joked, nudging him with my elbow.
“Almost,” he muttered, and before I could ask what he meant, he stepped towards Emily and Izzy. I watched as he knelt in front of them. He pressed a kiss to Emily’s lips before taking a hold of Izzy’s tiny hand in his.
“Is it okay with you, if I marry your mom?” he asked softly. I watched as he waited for her to answer. A huge grin brightened her face, and she bobbed her head so fast I was sure it would fall off her tiny shoulders. Will shifted, pulling something from his pocket. He held out another black velvet box, similar to the one that held Emily’s ring, and opened it.
“I got you this because I’m not only asking to marry your momma. This is your family Izzy and you are the centre of that. I’m not asking to replace your dad. What I am asking is to stand beside him, to be a man who loves you, who protects you and provides for you. But most of all I want to be a man you can be proud to say is a part of your life.” He pulled out a tiny silver band. Emily had tears streaming down her face. Izzy watched as he placed the ring on her finger. “You’re all I could ever wish for in a daughter, Izzy.” Emily let out a small cry and covered her mouth. I stared at this tender moment, feeling emotion claw at my chest. Will cleared his throat and waited as Izzy stared at her hand.
“It’s so pretty,” she said softly. Emily stared into Will’s eyes. My stomach bottomed out. I was intruding on their private family moment. Silently I stepped out of the room and left the house as quietly as I could.
I sucked in a breath of air. My gut twisted with the knowledge I would never have that quiet peace, those tender moments of knowing you were completely owned, body and soul, by someone else.
I pulled up to the gate and entered the pass code Graham gave me. I followed the long driveway past the house and straight up to Aloura’s home. Jim, the tech guy, was sitting in his black van, and as soon as he spotted my car, he opened his door and jumped out. I parked beside the house, cut the engine, and grabbed my bag.
“Alright.” He lifted his chin in greeting and held out his hand for me to shake. “The cameras are set up. The young lass said to put the monitors in your room so it’s all set up in there. Tomorrow we’re installing a new gate and coded panel. That thing down there won’t stop shit.” He glanced at a clipboard and read some info from the sheet. I lifted my
“We eat first, then cinema and popcorn. Your mom will kick my ass.”
“Oh, you said a bad word.”
“Sorry.”
“I won’t tell if you get sweets too.” She curled her lips in a hopeful grin.
“Unbelievable.” I pulled her to me and hugged the little squirt. My brother’s negotiation skills were rubbing off on the kid.
A few hours later, with bleeding ears after hearing that God forsaken song for the billionth time, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.
Will: She said yes! Can you bring Izzy home?
Me: On my way. Congrats
My lips curved into a grin. My chest warmed. Nothing was taking Emily away from him. The moment I set eyes on them together I knew he had found the woman to complete him. She didn’t want to change him. Jo found the exact same in Lou, and I adored both women for it.
We made it back to their house in record time. Izzy ran up to the door and it opened before she knocked. Her mom was standing there with tears in her eyes.
“Izzy,” she cried and squat down to take her daughter in her arms. Izzy regarded her mom with a concerned frown as tears of joy rolled down Em’s cheeks. Will came into view and scooped them both from the floor.
Shaking my head, I followed them into the house. Izzy sat on her mom’s lap, holding her hand and chattering about the ring. I stood beside Will and slapped him on the back.
“Congratulations, man.”
“Thanks,” he said, smiling over at the girls on the couch.
“You happy now?” I joked, nudging him with my elbow.
“Almost,” he muttered, and before I could ask what he meant, he stepped towards Emily and Izzy. I watched as he knelt in front of them. He pressed a kiss to Emily’s lips before taking a hold of Izzy’s tiny hand in his.
“Is it okay with you, if I marry your mom?” he asked softly. I watched as he waited for her to answer. A huge grin brightened her face, and she bobbed her head so fast I was sure it would fall off her tiny shoulders. Will shifted, pulling something from his pocket. He held out another black velvet box, similar to the one that held Emily’s ring, and opened it.
“I got you this because I’m not only asking to marry your momma. This is your family Izzy and you are the centre of that. I’m not asking to replace your dad. What I am asking is to stand beside him, to be a man who loves you, who protects you and provides for you. But most of all I want to be a man you can be proud to say is a part of your life.” He pulled out a tiny silver band. Emily had tears streaming down her face. Izzy watched as he placed the ring on her finger. “You’re all I could ever wish for in a daughter, Izzy.” Emily let out a small cry and covered her mouth. I stared at this tender moment, feeling emotion claw at my chest. Will cleared his throat and waited as Izzy stared at her hand.
“It’s so pretty,” she said softly. Emily stared into Will’s eyes. My stomach bottomed out. I was intruding on their private family moment. Silently I stepped out of the room and left the house as quietly as I could.
I sucked in a breath of air. My gut twisted with the knowledge I would never have that quiet peace, those tender moments of knowing you were completely owned, body and soul, by someone else.
I pulled up to the gate and entered the pass code Graham gave me. I followed the long driveway past the house and straight up to Aloura’s home. Jim, the tech guy, was sitting in his black van, and as soon as he spotted my car, he opened his door and jumped out. I parked beside the house, cut the engine, and grabbed my bag.
“Alright.” He lifted his chin in greeting and held out his hand for me to shake. “The cameras are set up. The young lass said to put the monitors in your room so it’s all set up in there. Tomorrow we’re installing a new gate and coded panel. That thing down there won’t stop shit.” He glanced at a clipboard and read some info from the sheet. I lifted my
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