Page 133 of Promise

“Hide Daddy’s sausage in⁠—”

“Watch it,” Dart warns Petty, pointing a finger at him while holding a beer can.

“Are you ever serious?” I ask the goofy guy in a band.

“I try not to be.” He winks.

Late arrivals enter the yard. “Is that Savannah with Marshall?” I ask.

“Where?” Petty says, his face sobering as he looks toward the corner of the yard. The midnight-haired beauty leaves her brother’s side and heads toward a group of women.

Marshall stalks toward us.

“Excuse me,” Petty grumbles, making tracks toward Savannah.

I glance up at Dart, who slowly smiles. Uh-oh, there’s a story there. One I’m certain I’ll hear more about later.

For now, as Marshall joins the guys, I break from Dart and make my way around the party, greeting guests, passing out hugs, and taking in all the congratulations, before Mirabelle is fussing and I excuse myself to take her upstairs for a nap.

The party can continue, but the honored party girl needs a little reprieve, and I take an extra minute to hold her in the chair Dart gave me to celebrate my first Mother’s Day.

Eventually, I step into my room to use the bathroom but stop near the window overlooking the yard. I clutch the Mother and Child pendant between my fingers, running it back and forth along the chain, watching Dart move around our guests before disappearing.

When I hear soft steps coming up the staircase, I smile to myself, knowing true to his word, he’ll always chase me.

“Hey, baby,” he says as he enters our room, softly closing the door behind him. “Whatcha doing up here?”

“Just needed a little break.” I love our family. I love our friends, but the day has already been a lot. Between the lack of sleep last night and all the jitters today, I’m suddenly exhausted.

“You okay?” he asks, stepping up behind me like he did earlier today and wrapping his arms around my middle.

“Just taking in all the love, I guess.”

With his cheek pressed to mine, he smiles. “So much love,” he marvels. “All for one precious little girl and her mom.”

“And her dad,” I say, smiling myself.

“Dad,” he whispers. “I didn’t think this day would ever happen.”

“Me neither. For either of us.”

We stand in silence for a minute, letting the sad memories quickly pass. We stand here stronger now, because of our love, but also because of Mirabelle.

Wonderous miracle.

I spin in Dart’s arms, looping mine over his shoulders. “I love you.”

He smiles, slow and wide. “I love you, too, baby.”

I tip up on my toes, setting a tender kiss to his mouth, but the longer we kiss, the deeper it gets.

“Trin,” he groans against me.

I wouldn’t be opposed to a quicky.

I’m reminded of another memory. The first time Dart came to dinner at our house after we started hooking up.

He’d followed me up to my bedroom, much like he did today. What always started as a heated kiss led to more, and soon Dart was inside me. My dress at my waist, his pants at his hips. I don’t think we even locked the door.