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“Yeah, I hope y’all like it.”
“Kara, babe. It’s a night out at a casino with a private poker room. This is the shit. We don’t normally get to do stuff like this.”
“I know, and it took me forever to find something you might like that would include your friends, because I know you hate doing stuff alone. It was this or a bunch of strippers, and I didn’t want you seeing other women naked right now.”
He chuckles. “I’ve got all I need right here.” He reaches forward, wrapping his arms around me as he drops a kiss on my forehead. “Open yours.”
I dig in the same as he did, and open the box just as quickly. My hand comes to cover my mouth as I gasp. It’s a painting of the train trestle with our names in a heart on it. “We were thinking the same thing huh?”
“Yeah. I figured you might be able to hang it up in the truck. That way I’m with you all the time.”
I reach forward. “I love it, Abel, almost as much as I love you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Abel
"Thanks for coming along with me," Dad says as I get into the passenger seat of his truck.
"I have to say I'm super interested, considering you told me nothing about what we're doing here. Were you being purposely obtuse, or did you really not know where we'd be going?" I ask, buckling in and getting comfortable.
He looks over, slight smile working on his face. "I knew what we were doing, but I didn't want to give anything away, because I know how you are with secrets. It's up in the air about whether or not you'll be able to keep it. This is one I for sure need you to keep. You've only got a couple days to keep it, so maybe I'm not in danger of being found out."
"Okay, what is it?" I fold my arms over my chest. "You're making me sound untrustworthy."
"You're not. You just have a reputation. Anyway, do you wanna know this is about?"
"Of course. Why the secrecy?"
"I'm going to propose to Alexis, and I want you to come help me pick out the ring."
I'm shocked. "You're going to propose? Who are you and what have you done with my dad?"
He laughs, coming to a stop at the end of my road. "I know, this is probably coming as a shock to you, but she's gotten to me. I'm beginning to think she's the one I've been waiting for my entire life. Very quickly in our relationship, I knew that I could see a future with her."
"I could tell that, but I wasn't sure whether you would act on it or not."
He clears his throat, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "There's another reason I want you to come with me. I want you to see that although we may start out one way in our lives, we can change them whenever we want. You can decide that you're going to have the family you always wanted, Abel. You can have it. Don't let how you grew up pigeon hole you."
"I didn't grow up bad," I insist.
"I don't think bad is the correct word. You grew up with not a ton of stability on either mine or your mom's part. I was able to give you a home that was stable, but you didn't see either of us have a love that was. I hope you can see it now. I hope you can have it with Kara, and I truly hope if she's providing it for you, you don't throw it away, because you're scared." He looks over, and it takes everything I have for me not to hide my face.
"How do you know me so well?"
"I'm your dad, I'm supposed to know you this well. And although you think you've hidden a lot from me, I've always been able to see through you. The scared boy you were, the anxious teenager, and the man who second-guesses himself. You're perfect the way you are, Abel. Kara can see that, the rest of us can see that. You've grown up to be an amazing man."
My throat is tight with the praise he's given me. It's not like he doesn't praise me a lot, but this is more than usual. "Thanks Dad, I love you."
"Love you, too."
We pull up in front of one of the two jewelry stores downtown. This one is the more expensive of the two. "Ohh, sparing no expense, huh?"
He gives me a grin. "I took out a loan. I had two made, whichever one I don't pick they'll save for me to give her when we have a baby, or a special anniversary. You're going to help me decide on which one to give her."
This is a huge honor. "I'm excited to look. Thank you for inviting me."
"Wouldn't do this with anyone but you, Abel."
