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“Funny, she hasn’t tried to call me once.”
But I wasn’t surprised she’d called Dad. It was one of her favorite pastimes, making him miserable. She was a total bitch, and not even I could stand her for more than an hour at a time. I didn’t have a lot to do with her, and I never let her keep Reid after the one time she’d babysat and I’d come home t
o find him with blisters on his bottom after she’d left him in a wet diaper all day.
“She said she’s called you, but you don’t ever answer.”
I stood, carrying my dirty dishes to the sink. “Daddy, Mom hasn’t called me in weeks, maybe even months. I don’t know what she’s told you, but we aren’t close. Please don’t give me the guilt trip about respecting her and being a good daughter—”
“Joslyn.” Dad’s gruff voice caught me off guard, and I turned to face him, concerned.
He was still sitting at the table, his head in his hands, tears running down his face.
I rushed back to him, throwing my arms around his neck and hugging him tight. “Dad, what’s wrong?”
“I thought you were going to leave again,” he choked out. “The way she made it sound, you were just biding your time and wouldn’t talk to her because you didn’t know how to let me down easy about going back to Oakland.”
I kissed his cheek, giving him a smile to help ease his fears. “Daddy, really? Why would I leave you again? Everything I’ve ever wanted is right here. I never wanted to be anywhere else.”
“Swear?” he forced out in a voice rough with emotion.
I kissed his cheek again. “I swear. I would have happily stayed with you while I was growing up if anyone had dared ask what I wanted.”
His arm went around me, an affectionate hug from my father that I wasn’t used to. But seeing him cry wasn’t something I’d ever seen him do either. “You and Reid are all I have now, Jos. It was ripping me apart thinking you were going to leave.”
“There is no way in hell she’s going anywhere.” Tanner’s voice boomed behind me, making me jump in surprise.
I straightened, my heart racing as I watched him walk into the kitchen in nothing but a pair of sweat pants. His hair was sticking up at all angles, but I liked it that way. I reminded me of how my hands had tangled in those dark locks while his head was between my legs all night long. Thank God Reid was such a sound sleeper, because I’d been unable to hold back my moans for the most part.
Glaring, Tanner stomped across the distance that separated us. “I’m telling you right now, Jos, you even try to leave, and I’m gonna spank your ass. You hear me, woman? No way in hell I’m letting you go. And that goes double for trying to take my son with you.”
Lips twitching, I stood there fighting not to grin as he tried to keep up the angry look. But he couldn’t hide the panic just below the surface, the fear that he might not be able to stop me.
I touched my hand to his chest, pressing my palm flat over his pounding heart. “If you could calm down for two seconds, you would have heard that I was telling Daddy I’m not going anywhere. What part of ‘I’m where I want to be’ don’t you understand, Tanner?”
His shoulders almost drooped for a moment in relief, but when he spoke, it wasn’t to me. “Butch, I want to marry your daughter.”
“What?” I whisper-shouted.
But the two men ignored me. “You better treat her right. No cheating. No breaking her heart. Provide for her and my grandson, or I’ll cut your throat. Feel me?”
Tanner nodded solemnly. “I’ll always take care of them, and I’d walk out in front of a bus before I hurt either of them.”
“Then, yeah, boy. You can marry her.”
I stood there, stunned by the way they were talking like I wasn’t even there. Like they weren’t discussing Tanner wanting to marry me, promising things that were making my heart melt to the point I was dangerously close to passing out from it.
“But you better do it right. No running off and eloping. I want to walk my baby girl down the aisle.”
“Fuck yeah, we’re doing it right. Big cake, big dress. Big everything. My woman deserves all of that.”
I gulped, trying to find my voice. “A-Am I invited into this conversation, or are you two just going to continue making plans for my wedding?” Putting my hands on my hips, I glared from one to the other. “And excuse you, but I haven’t even been asked yet, let alone accepted.”
Tanner shrugged and went over to the coffeepot. “Quinn and Raider are getting married next weekend. Don’t want to show them up. Let’s have the wedding in a month. You think that’s enough time, Butch?”’
“I’ll drop by Aggie’s, get her to help with planning it. That should give her time to make the cake.” Dad finished the last of his coffee and carried his cup to the sink. Grabbing his packed lunch, he headed for the door. “See you at work, Jos. Don’t be late.”
The door shut behind him, and I had to breathe deep to keep from screaming, only stopping myself because I didn’t want to wake my sleeping child.
