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“So a girl, huh? They’re hard,” Benedict says and I look over at him, matching his stride as we follow behind our wives. “I could never click with Avery the way I should have. It was easy with the boys, but with her, it was a challenge.”
I don’t answer because I don’t agree. My mom was great with all of us and so was my dad until he turned into a cheating bastard. I plan to be the same with my child, but I nod to keep my composure with my new in-laws. I trust them as far as I can throw them, and by the size of Benedict, he won’t go far.
“I still love her, a lot.”
I nod. “I do too.”
“I’m sure you do, but you’ll see. The love between a father and his daughter is something very special.”
“I look forward to that relationship.”
Because I know I’ll do a hundred times better than he did.
But what do I know because, during dinner, they are actually very sweet to Avery and even me. I still don’t like them and I’m sure they don’t like me, but we are all civil. I can tell Avery is eating it up too. As much as she didn’t want to get her hopes up, I know she has. I just hope they don’t let her down. As dessert is served, Avery leans into me, grinning, and I smile down at her.
“Good, huh?” I say, feeding her a bite of pumpkin pie.
She takes the bite and nods. “Not like your mom’s.”
“Nothing is like my mom’s,” I remind her as I look up to see her parents watching us. They both look pained, as if they were hoping I was a dirtbag or something.
Clearing her throat, Thea says, “Avery, honey, why don’t we go look in the gift shop?”
Avery looks at her, confused. “Why?”
“I want to peek and I wanted to get some stuff for the road.”
Or she wants to leave so that Benedict can talk to me.
Avery knows this too because she looks at me and I shrug. “It’s fine.”
She takes in a breath and shakes her head before getting out of the booth and walking with her mom toward the gift shop. Looking over at Benedict, I take a long pull of my tea and smile.
“I’m ready.”
He smiles. “Yeah?”
“Yup, hit me with what you got.”
Benedict nods as he laughs. “I guess that means there will be no chance of me talking you into letting her go, then? Letting her come home and relieving you of all your duties to her?”
I scoff. “Not a snowball’s chance in hell.”
“It’s a big responsibility, especially for a rookie player. You sure you want that?”
“I’m never been more sure of anything in my life.”
“She isn’t well, mentally. She struggles.”
“I know and I’ve got her.”
“It’s a lot for a nineteen-year-old boy.”
“Man,” I correct with a grin. “I’m almost twenty. And I don’t care how much work it is, because there is no me without that girl right there,” I say, pointing to where Avery is looking at silver spoons. “I get it. You don’t like me, don’t trust me. But I can promise you, that girl has never been happier. And she will continue to be happy as long as I’m there loving her.”
He nods slowly, bringing his gaze from Avery to me. “Very sure of yourself.”
“Damn right, and I’m sure that she and I will work. Trust and believe that.”
