Page 11 of Lumberjack Daddy and Wild Child Little

EPILOGUE: SIX MONTHS LATER

Hannah

I giggle as I bump into something and say, “Daddy! You’re supposed to tell me where to go!”

“Sorry!” he says, “Go left!”

I turn left and he says, “Good. Now take three steps forward.”

I comply and he says, “Okay. Take your blindfold off.”

I take it off and when I look down, I see a box with little holes cut in the top. “Is the present inside the box?” I ask.

Then I hear the little yips and I don’t wait for Daddy to answer. I quickly tear off the top of the box and when I see the present, my mouth drops open and I squeal, “Oh, Daddy!”

The puppy lifts its front paws up and rests on the edge of the box. It looks at me for a moment with its tail wagging, then yips. I squeal again and pick it up, then hug it tightly, smiling and trying not to squeeze too hard.

“He’s a Belgian Malinois. They’re like German Shepherds, just a little smaller and a little more playful. Police Departments use them because they have a strong protective instinct, but if you raise them to be social, they’re excellent around people and animals. Great with kids too.”

“Kids?” I say, raising an eyebrow. “At least wait until after the wedding before you start talking about kids.”

He laughs. “Well, the wedding is in two weeks, princess. I’m just planning ahead.”

The puppy yips again and I hold it in front of my face and say, “I know, right? Daddy just bought a baby and now he wants another baby? He needs to calm down, doesn’t he? Yes, he does. Yes, he does.”

Daddy laughs and says, “All right, I’ll give it a rest.”

I turn to him and kiss him on the lips softly. “I’m just teasing, Daddy. I would love to have kids with you.”

“Really?” he asks, eyes brightening.

“Of course!” I say. “You’d be a great Daddy. You know, and a great Daddy.”

He laughs and kisses me, then says. “Well, we have time for that.”

“I suppose we do,” I say. “The rest of our lives in fact.”

The puppy yips and Daddy says, “All right, all right. I’ll let you have Mommy to yourself a little while.”

I spend the rest of the afternoon playing with my new dog and later that night, when I get him settled in the little dog bed Daddy bought for him, I make up for lost time with the man who is not only my Daddy but soon will be the father of my children.

I guess that counts as putting down roots!