Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69063 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69063 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
I placed the box into the back, then got into the passenger seat.
Haze waited until all three of us were in the vehicle before he opened the garage door and backed out.
He stopped and waited for it to close completely before he left, his eyes constantly moving.
I wasn’t sure what happened at Shasha’s office all those days ago.
Short of getting the information that “the senator was in on it more than you think” I chose to stay out of it.
That was one conversation that I hoped to never have.
I didn’t want to know anything.
Not because of plausible deniability—because that was definitely a plus—but because I just didn’t want to think about it.
We happened to get behind Brecken and followed her all the way to the school.
She parked in the teacher parking, but Haze passed right by her and drove to the front of the school before letting Desi out.
“One day, I’ll get to drive again,” Desi grumbled. “See you at twelve.”
She got out and pointed at her dad, who pointed right back at her.
“That’s cute,” I said softly.
He tossed me a grin before pulling away once he’d seen Desi got all the way inside.
“When she went into middle school, she got too cool for her old man and decided that she didn’t want to say I love you. We came up with that so she could say it without saying it, and it’s been that way ever since,” he explained.
She’d told me much the same, but she’d said she started doing it only because she hated seeing her dad look sad when she didn’t say it.
I thought it was adorable.
We got to the courthouse fifteen minutes later, despite it being less than a mile and a half from the school.
When I got out, it was with Haze standing in front of me, obstructing me from view as he took a long look around the area.
I hated that he was blocking me with his big body, and I hated even more that he’d protect me with it if worse came to worse.
Once he was sure that nothing was going to get me, he caught my hand and squeezed.
“Come on, let’s get inside before you blow away with this wind.” He paused, his gaze going to my eyelashes. “Or your eyelashes decide to take off.”
I gasped in outrage. “You did not just say that!”
He was laughing when he tugged me into a walk behind him.
“Let’s go.”
I rolled my eyes and argued, “You’re not my real dad.”
His hand curved around my hip and I knew that he’d regretted his earlier decision of saying he liked it when I called him daddy.
His hand came up underneath my shirt and he palmed my hip as we walked into the courthouse.
Also over the last week, Haze had tried, and failed, to get Finn from his ex-wife.
Short of breaking in again, which he wasn’t willing to do.
Needless to say, Haze hadn’t been very happy that Finn’s fate wouldn’t be decided until today—along with Desi’s fate.
But he’d gone along with it because his lawyer had insisted.
Which led us to now, heading to the courthouse, to fight for Haze’s two sidekicks.
“The apartment called when you were getting dressed. They said they were closing it to renovate. They asked if I’d be willing to give up my lease in exchange for two months’ rent and my deposit back,” he said.
“Tell them absolutely,” I said. “I got a call while I was getting ready, but I didn’t answer it.”
“That was probably them then.” He hesitated. “I know it’s fast, and I know I should probably say that we should take this slow for my daughter’s sake, but I feel like we’re kind of beyond that at this point.” I could feel him looking at me, so I gave him my gaze. “How would you feel about making this permanent?”
I studied his face for a long moment before saying, “Do you still love me?”
His answer was instantaneous.
“More and more every day,” he admitted.
“Then I think we should go for it.” I shrugged. “I don’t think I’ll take anything for granted anymore.” I paused. “But…there’s one more thing we should discuss.”
He opened the door to the courthouse and stepped inside first, using his body as a shield again as he took everything in.
Him not being able to carry his gun was really making him fidgety.
“How do you feel about children?”
He let the door close behind us and stayed in that position, me sandwiched between his body and the closed door, until he was satisfied that it was completely safe.
When his satisfaction was met, he pulled me into him and said, “Are you asking me to be your baby daddy?”
I felt my cheeks flame. “Maybe.”
“I accept.”
Hours later, after getting full custody of Desi, the three of us walked into the adoption center.
Desi had the box this time, and she was already sorting through it, choosing which ones she’d test herself.