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“If you hadn’t stepped in, I would be spending the rest of my day in jail. Maybe longer if I could’ve snapped his little bird neck.”
This gets a quiet chuckle from Sy.
“I’ve never seen that side of you,” I admit.
He turns to meet my gaze. “What side?”
“Protector.” I smile, remembering the way he threatened Cartwright when he was talking about Brayden and Aspen. “You’re usually the one making the jokes.”
“Oh.” He chuckles. “I have jokes too.”
“Really?
“Good ones.” He nods.
I turn in my seat to face him. “Tell me one.”
“Can you handle it?” he asks. “I mean, I don’t want your side-splitting on account of me making you laugh so hard.”
I roll my eyes. “Just tell me the joke, funny man. I can handle anything you throw at me.”
“Okay.” He sits up straight like this is one of the most important moments of his life.
I press my lips together to hold back the smile that wants to appear as I watch the wheels turn in his head. It’s clear he’s taking his mission to think of the perfect joke to make me laugh very seriously. He snaps his fingers, and a grin spreads across his face.
“How is Christmas exactly like your job?”
The joke is even holiday-themed. I should’ve expected nothing less from Sy. I think for a moment, wanting so badly to come up with the correct answer, but nothing comes to mind.
“I don’t know.” I finally give up. “Why is it?”
“Because you do all the work and some fat guy in a suit gets all the credit.”
His face lights up like he’s ready for me to bust up laughing any second.
“That. Is. Terrible.” I laugh.
“Your joy on your face says differently.” He points at me and chuckles. “You doubted me. I’m still funny, even after threatening to beat up some jackass for harassing you. And I can make pancakes. I’m the perfect man.”
He’s joking, but he’s right. There is no other man in my world—who I’m not related to—that can hold a candle to Silas. He’s my sunshine in a world with cloudy skies. He’s my strength when everything starts to be too much. He’s the one man I want to fall asleep and wake next to each day for the rest of my life.
“I know you are,” I say, leaning across the seat, never once breaking his gaze. “I see you.”
The expression on his face grows serious when he realizes I genuinely mean what I’m saying. I have no reason to hold back from this man—not anymore. I’m tired of not putting what I want first.
“Will you go on a date with me?” I ask.
CHAPTER6
Silas
I can’t stop playing that moment over and over in my head this afternoon, particularly the part where she asked me out on a date tonight. I imagined that moment so many times in my life, but for some reason, I never imagined her beating me to the punch.
Stepping out of the shower, I wrap the towel around my waist and wipe the steam off the mirror. My heart hasn’t stopped racing since I got home. Not even a quick five-mile run eased any of my nervous energy about tonight. There is so much pressure to make it perfect since I’ve wanted this for so long.
My phone starts ringing on the bed, so I walk out of the bathroom to answer it. Elle’s face is smiling on the screen.
“I was just thinking about you,” I say by greeting.
