Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 34938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34938 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 175(@200wpm)___ 140(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
My father looks between us, and his eyes stiffen. “Why are you doing this to me?” he asks, shaking his head. “Is it because you want me to fail?”
“No, Dad, I don't want you to fail. I want you to realize that I know what I'm doing. I want you to see who you've raised, and it's not a stupid kid. Kent's helped me to see how much value I have, and you know what, I don't want this. I don't want to run your business. I want to run my own. I think I'm going to open up my own interior design company.”
“Really?” Kent asks, taking the chance to look down at me.
“Yeah, really.” Pushing up on the tips of my toes, I kiss him softly. Dropping back down, I turn to look at my dad. “So, do you think you're ready to let me lead something for once in my life, and not try to hold me back?”
My dad sways on his feet, and I can see the wheels turning in his head. “I've never seen this side of you before. You remind me of myself when I told your grandfather I wasn't going to be a lawyer like him, and that I wanted to be an electrician. He hated it. He didn't talk to me for over five years because of it.” He takes a step back and throws his arms up behind his head, laying his head against his hands. “I can't believe I've been doing the same thing to you, the same cold shoulder my father gave me. I've held you back, I refused to let you breathe. I'm sorry, Perri.”
“Dad, I just want you to see me for who I am, see what I've done, see where I want to go, see who I love. . .” I take Kent's hand in mine and squeeze it tight. “Life isn't planned, it isn't written in a daily schedule book, or plotted on a graph. Life is full of risk, it's full of choice, and it's also full of failure. I'm not perfect, Dad, and I never will be. But I'm not wrong either, I know what I want, and you can't change my mind about it.”
Kent wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head. “You have an amazing daughter, Bryce, and you know me, you know I'm going to treat her right.”
My father lets his eyes drift over each of us. He nods his head and runs his hand down his face. “Get dressed, maybe the three of us can go check the damage from the storm together, and then go grab something to eat.”
“Really?” I ask, unable to hide my surprise.
“Yeah, I'd like to hear more about this design company. The way you worked this living room is perfect. Maybe we can walk through the other properties too, see what you can do.”
“That would be amazing.” I'm smiling as I speak, and in awe over his offer. “I'd love to bring something else to the table here.”
“Good, I'll be waiting out front.” My father walks out of the room and closes the door behind him.
I look up at Kent, and my grin turns giddy. “Did you hear that? Was that my father or was he abducted by aliens?”
“I think you finally did what he was always waiting for. You took charge.”
Kent wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me in a for a kiss. His lips are electric, they spark against my mouth, and make my heart skip a beat.
“I have something for you,” he says.
“You do? What is it?”
“One second,” he says, stepping away and digging around in his dresser. Walking back to me, he has this smile on his face. “When I told your dad I was going to marry you one day, I meant it.” Dropping to one knee, he holds up a small black box, and pulls back the lid. “Perri Dean, will you marry me?”
Throwing both hands to my face, the sheet drops off my body and I start to cry. “Are you serious?” I ask quietly between tears. He nods, his smile big and broad. “Yes, I'll marry you.” Shaking my head up and down, the tears fall effortlessly down my cheeks.
Kent slips the ring over my finger, and swoops me off my feet, spinning me around, and kissing me hard. “I love you, and I promise I'll always love you.”
And as I stare into his eyes, I know he means it.
I found the one, the person I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with.
Men like Kent only come once in a lifetime, and I'm never going to let him go.
10
Perri
“Knock, knock,” my father says, sticking his head into the room. “How you feeling? Are you nervous?”
Rocking my head back and forth, I smile. “Yeah, a little.”