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Her head cocks to the side. “Too easy… Four.”
“Okay, try this. Seven times…” His voice trails, and her eyes widen. “Nine!”
Her little lips part, and she thinks a moment. “Sixty-three?”
“Yes!” Leon holds up his hands and she high fives both of them hard. “Baby genius for the win!”
That gets him an instant frown. “I’m not a baby!”
Taron laughs from where he stands, leaning against the opposite bar as he watches them. He is so damn sexy in a black tux with his hair pushed behind his ears and his ocean eyes full of love.
I linger a moment letting the sight of them flood my veins with joy. I’m not sure it’s possible for me to be happier than I am right now.
As if agreeing with my thoughts, the best dog in the world trots up to my side and puts her head under my hand. I squat down to give Akela a good head scratching, and she licks me right in the face.
“Oh!” I laugh. “Easy on the makeup, girl.”
Leon declared Akela a hero.
Dove declared her daddy a hero.
Sawyer and I say they’re both right… Taron, of course, says he just did what any good dad would do. I’m sure Akela would say for a Siberian Huskey, a dunk in a freezing lake and helping save the life of a little girl is all part of the job. I love them all.
Standing, I smooth my hands down the front of the floor-length evening gown I’m wearing. It’s sleeveless, made of thick navy silk with a full skirt and a beautiful floral print near the bottom. I went back and forth over wearing my hair up or down and finally went with down, over one shoulder.
Taking a nervous breath, excitement tightening my throat, I make my grand entrance.
“Mamma!” Dove gasps, holding her cheeks. “You’re a princess!”
“Dang, sis,” is the best I get from Leon.
Taron’s expression squeezes my chest. He straightens, taking his hand out of his pocket, and he appears stunned, like he’s seeing the sunrise for the first time. “You are so beautiful.”
Heat floods my cheeks. My heart beats faster, and I look down, letting a dark wave fall across my cheek. He slides it away with his fingers and pulls me into a hug.
Closing my eyes, I take a deep inhale of his scent. I feel the strength in his body, and the reins binding my heart are finally loosened. The fear is gone, and I’m free to love this man completely, with my head and all my heart.
“I’m really glad you decided to go tonight.” His voice is low, but I feel his arm moving.
Looking around, I see our daughter tugging on his sleeve. “Me too, Daddy…”
He grins and picks her up, holding her on his hip. She puts her arm around my neck, pulling all three of us together in a hug, and I kiss her hair.
A moment passes, and my brother piles into my side. I start to laugh, lifting my arm and pulling Leon into our group hug. Next thing we know, Akela shoves her nose into the middle, and Dove starts to wiggle.
Taron lets her down, and she hugs Akela before skipping into the living room, our dog following behind her.
“Y’all have fun.” Leon follows after her, and I turn to my date.
“Shall we do this?”
He holds out an elbow, and I slip my hand in it.
We’re back in the civic center, and it’s about the same as it was the night of the Peach Ball. Looking around, I see the familiar faces of our friends smiling at us. The whole town knows about what happened to Dove… and how we all saved her, but mostly her daddy.
“So glad you guys could make it.” Ed Daniels stops us at the door, shaking Taron’s hand and giving me a hug.
Sawyer is in the back talking to Jeff Priddy, and when our eyes catch, his brows rise. He gives me a little thumbs-up, and I shake my head with a grin.
