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“Alright, kid,” Brad says. “Now I’m ready.”
I let out a shaky breath before getting to my feet and pulling the box out of my pocket. I open it up to reveal a white gold engagement ring and place it down on the coffee table between us.
“Well,” Brad says, ripping his eyes off the ring to focus back on me. “I’m honored, but you’re really not my type. Besides, I’m not sure my wife would approve of me having a boy toy.”
The boys chuckle at his response, and it’s deathly clear where they get their humor from.
“Sir,” I say, looking him in the eye. “I have known Cassie since the day I moved in next door, and knew I wanted to be with her since the second she punched me square in the nose and got blood all over my parents’ carpet. As you know, next year we’re heading off to college, and we’ll be living together. So I’m coming to you to make you aware of my intentions. I’m not some kid who’s messing around with her or would ever hurt her. Cassie is it for me, and it’s important that I let you know that.”
Brad slightly raises his chin to me with respect and I continue. I eye the boys before focusing back on their father, so they know they’re included when I ask this question. “Sir, I would like your blessing to propose to your daughter.”
He takes a deep breath and wipes a hand down his face. The boys give each other knowing glances, but I focus my attention on Brad. He slowly rises from his seat and makes his way over to me before holding his hand out. I reach to shake his hand but he pulls me into a bear hug instead. “Son, I have known for years that your intention was to marry my Cass, and you have both mine and Cathy’s support.”
“Thank you,” I say as he releases me.
“My only concern is your age. You’re just a kid. Hell, Cassie’s just a kid, too. I know your relationship is heading that way, but there’s no rush.”
Sean nods before offering his two cents. “I think what Dad is trying to say is that Cass would have a fit and kick your ass if you asked her now.”
“Yeah, I know,” I tell him. “My plan is to wait. I just wanted you to know my intentions before we moved in together.”
“Thanks, son,” Brad says, a big cheesy grin across his face and pride shining brightly in his eyes. “Welcome to the family, Jaxon.”
“With all due respect, I feel like I’ve been a part of the family since I was twelve,” I tell him honestly.
“Shit,” Logan laughs. “Looks like the old man is about to cry of happiness.”
I wake with a start, and it takes me a moment to realize I’m still in Cassie’s childhood bed. I have to admit, it’s a bit eerie dreaming about the day I asked for Brad’s blessing right after I’d been at his son’s wedding, the girl in question sleeping in my arms.
Maybe it’s being in this house again, or maybe it’s just Cass, but I’m starting to think and feel things I haven’t felt in a long time.
Desperately needing to clear my head, I get out of bed and head downstairs for breakfast. The place is a mess, but not a soul is awake, apart from the clean-up crew who are running around as though their lives depend on it. I know Cass and the boys won’t be up for hours, so I fix myself a bowl of cereal and make my way into the media room to catch up on last night’s game.
An hour passes before I decide it’s time to make my way back to campus. I go back up to Cassie’s room and give her a kiss on the forehead. “I have to go,” I tell her. “We’ll talk when you get back to campus.”
She mumbles something in her sleep and with that, I grab my things and my filled hockey bag of shit we rescued from my parents’ house and head downstairs. The bag is thrown in the back of my truck when I spy Cassie’s car across the property.
A grin pulls at my lips as I skip back up the stairs two at a time and break into her old recording room. I start dismantling as much of the important stuff as possible before I take it down bit by bit and load it into the back of my truck. I can’t resist going back to her room to give her another kiss before finally leaving. She mumbles another goodbye and snuggles deeper into her bed. I gently close the door and soon find myself climbing into my truck.
After getting back to campus with a plan to spend my day working out and going over some assignments, I promptly fall asleep on the couch, not waking until nearly nightfall.
