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“Like that, huh? Irrefutable evidence, I suppose.” The sound of her laughter was all I heard as I stepped from the car and grabbed the bags from the back seat.
“You do,” she insisted as she jumped from the passenger seat. “And I like her. Uncle Oliver said you could do a lot worse than Tara.”
“Well your uncle almost lost Eva because he was being an idiot.”
“He said that too.”
Of course he did. Oliver didn’t hold anything back when it came to my little girl, something I loved him for but dammit, she was already too mature for her age. “All right but you know it’s not just our call, right? Tara has to want to be with us too.” And after that botched ‘I love you’ I couldn’t be sure she wanted that at all. I wasn’t even sure before that moment. Her big seduction told me she wanted something and the large seafood spread she’d made told me she wanted more than sex, but Tara hadn’t said anything. Not explicitly anyway.
“What’s that, Daddy?” Lila pointed to two envelopes taped to the front door.
“Envelopes.” I plucked them both from the door and examined the handwritten script, my name on one envelope and Lila’s on the other. It wasn’t official, whatever it was and that just heightened my curious. “This one is for you.”
She reached her hand out but I kept them both until we were inside the house with her dress hanging in the front closet. “Gimme. Please,” she added when I gave her my best look that said, “Manners, young lady.”
We opened them at the same time but Lila snagged my attention first. “What’s it say, Daddy?”
I looked down at my daughter and shrugged. “Now you see why it’s important to practice reading your cursive too?”
“Daddy,” she whined.
“All right.” I scanned the raised silver cursive words and read the words aloud. “You are cordially invited to be the escort of Tara Beechum to the Winter Dance.” That was it. A formal invite. It had to mean something, right?
Lila jumped up and down, squealing with excitement. “She wants to be our date, Daddy! She wants to be my stepmom too! I have to call Brittany!” Before I could stop her, she darted up the stairs, still shouting her joy.
I took advantage of the moment alone to text Tara. “We accept.”
She responded right away. “Perfect!”
I was surprised at her invitation since we hadn’t spoken in a couple days. “So…we’re good?”
“More than good. Things have been busy but I’m not ignoring you. I promise.”
That was good to know. “You sure?”
“Absolutely.” Another message came in right away. “I have a surprise for you.”
“Your last surprise nearly killed me.” It was the best kind of surprise, opening the door to see her in sexy green lingerie. It was almost as awe inducing as her on her knees as she pleasured me. “Would’ve been worth it.”
“This one might be even better.”
I wanted to ask more but I also wanted to know what kind of surprise she had in store for me. Then I realized that the Winter Dance was the perfect time to tell her how I felt about her. For real. When we were fully clothes with a pint-sized chaperone.
She’d have to believe the words then.
I picked up my phone and dialed Oliver and then Xander. “Hey guys, I need help.”
Xander groaned. “Dude, did you just three-way call us? The nineties called and want their call back.”
Oliver snickered but otherwise stayed silent.
“I said I need some help.”
“We’re listening,” Oliver said before Xander could make another smart ass comment.
I told them about Tara’s personalized invitations, one for me and one for Lila. “I need to find a gift that’s perfect when I tell her I love her. Again.”
“Did you say it in Spanish the first time?” Xander and his one-liners usually made me smile, today I was slightly annoyed but only because I had to admit the truth.
That I told her I loved her during sex.
“Oh man, rookie mistake,” Oliver groaned. “I think that faux pas warrants a long getaway.”
“No way,” Xander huffed. “Jewelry. Not engagement or wedding jewelry, but something that says I know who you are and I love that woman.”
“Shit,” Oliver moaned. “I had to say it but Xander is right. Why are you right, Xander?”
“Because I’ve got layers.” He did and I was so damn curious about them but now wasn’t the time.
“Jewelry, huh?” It couldn’t be a ring or anything that looked like a ring, Not yet. “Recommendations?”
Xander snorted. “Want me to tell her you love her in homeroom? She sits right behind me in study hall.”
“Dick,” I muttered and shook my head because he was right. I had to take care of this on my own.
“Try the mall,” both men said at the same time and I groaned.
“I was just at the mall.” It was a weak excuse but I figured I had a few more weeks before I had to make another trip to that hellscape.
