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“Sarah, dear. Guess who’s here?”
“Who, love?” She calls out from the kitchen, but then she approaches through the door. “Oh my goodness, Tina. You’re home, and who is this?” Her voice hangs on the last two words, drawing them out.
“Mom, this is my boyfriend, Mike.”
“Hello, Mrs. Turner. We’re sorry for just dropping by, but we’re leaving for Vegas soon and I wanted to meet you before we did.”
“Wait, are you two getting married and not inviting us?” she asks, pointing a spatula in our faces, glaring at us.
I chuckle and throw my hands up and mock surrender. “No, not yet. I have a fight this Saturday, and Tina’s coming to sit ring-side.”
“Wow, are you really?” her father asks, appearing completely stunned.
“Well, I don’t know about on the side, but maybe in the locker room or at least a few rows back.”
“Whatever you want, as long as you’re in Vegas. Hell, you can stay in the condo there.”
“You have an apartment in Vegas?”
“Yes, Danny and I keep an apartment there because we both had fights there and it’s better than booking rooms for the week leading up to the fight and for a couple days after all the time.”
“Must be great for parties.” Her father holds no punches.
“We don’t have parties, sir. Our families are the only ones allowed up there.”
“That’s good to hear.” He eyes me with a warning, and I don’t blame him because the parties that happen in Vegas—hell, I’ve walked into parties and had to walk right back out because I wasn’t getting caught up in the scene and ending up on TMZ with some massive scandal.
“So, sir, may I have a word with you in private?”
He nods, his demeanor growing stern. “Yes. Please join me in my study.”
“I’ll be right back, love.”
I follow him into his man cave, and I’m waiting for his barrage. The second I enter the room, he says, “Tell me why you’re in here, although I’m pretty sure I can guess.”
“I’d like to marry your daughter, and I’m asking for your blessing.”
“How well do you know her?”
“How well does anyone truly know anyone? I’ll be frank with you. We’ve only just started dating because Tina wouldn’t give me a chance. It took a lot of convincing and my refusal to give up. I understand that her background has been a rough one and her childhood has left her scarred.”
“It has.” He nods and uncrosses his arms. “I can’t believe she told you about it.”
“She didn’t have to. We immediately had a connection and I could tell she was interested, but she sent me packing with my tail between my legs. When she refused to give me her phone number and my brother-in-law wouldn’t either, I had my friend do some digging. Then I understood why she wanted nothing to do with me.”
“Do you normally do background checks on the women you date?”
“I don’t date. I don’t have flings or one-night stands. Your daughter is it for me, and I made it clear to her that I meant it. My career had been my focus until I stepped into that clinic.”
“So why weren’t you here on Christmas?”
“Because we weren’t together. When she came here, she’d just turned me down for the first time.”
“The first time?”
“Yes. I’ve been hit on by hundreds of women, and the one that I wanted to fall at my feet told me to beat it. It was painful. Still, we pressed on, and today she’s happy that we’re in this. Thankfully, my new sister-in-law and my sister spoke with her.”
“Why?”
