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“That won’t be an issue anymore. Sal found proof your dad funded those rumors, so I wouldn’t worry about it.” He smirked. “I have a feeling the truth will be told.”
It hit me then that Scotty must have asked Sal for help. “What else does Sal know?”
“I had to fill him in because I couldn’t find the video you were being blackmailed with, so I needed his help finding the physical tape.”
“In other words, he knows everything… your mom, too.”
“My mom only knows what you want to tell her. Sal knows I love you and that you make me happy. He knows you’ve been through some shit and had to do things you weren’t proud of, but he also knows you did what you had to do to survive, and in the process, you protected those you cared about.” He put his finger under my chin and tilted my head up. “So in other words, he knows the kind of woman you are.” His thumb stroked my jaw. “And he told me if I fucked things up with you, he’d kick my ass.”
Even though I shouldn’t be happy right now, I smiled. Looking at me was a man who loved me and made my heart soar. He knows everything about me, and he’s still here. “I love you, too. You know that, right?” I repeated his words.
“Yeah, beautiful. I do know that.”
CHAPTER 20
Scotty
She was always beautiful, but Paris smiling down at the baby in her arms was incredible. It wasn’t the first time I saw her holding baby Mikey, but it was the first time she loved on him in our house, and something about it punched me in the gut. She was such a natural, and I couldn’t wait for that to be our baby so I could give my kids everything I never had.
They’d never feel unloved, they’d never be afraid of me, and they’d never question their place in the world. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Paris would be an amazing mother, either. She was simply amazing, and I learned more about how special she was every day.
I went to sleep holding on to heaven, and when I woke up with her in my arms, I had to kiss her to make sure I wasn’t still dreaming. I’d never take that for granted. I’d never take her for granted.
Bristol and my mom were on either side of Paris on the couch, and the women were all laughing, but when my girl caught me gazing at her, I could see her roll her eyes all the way from the kitchen. She always gave me shit for staring at her, but she’d just have to put up with it until I got used to the fact that she was mine… which would never happen.
She blew a kiss at me, and I shook my head, not one for silly gestures, but when she pouted, I grabbed her floating kiss out of the air and pressed it to my chest. “Dude, you’re whipped,” Austin joked, grabbing another beer.
“I know.”
“So when are you going to marry her?”
“Not soon enough.”
He popped the top off and tossed the cap in the garbage can, something catching his eye that made him push some trash aside to get a better look at. I knew what he saw. I actually contemplated taking it out, just in case she had regrets.
Paris decided to throw out the mug she gave her mom when she was a little girl. She’d held it for nearly three decades. She packed it up, and when I found it in a moving box, she told me the story behind it, then she put it in the cupboard. But then today, she threw it in the garbage without saying a word.
Austin swallowed loudly, then closed the garbage lid and looked at me expectantly. “So marriage… What’s the holdup?”
He didn’t ask, so I didn’t expand. “Reliving her trauma in therapy was giving her nightmares.” I had Bristol to thank for encouraging Paris to talk to somebody about everything she’d been through. “She just started sleeping through the night, but when she went to yoga last week, she broke down and had to call me to pick her up. Out of the blue, she said she wanted to go see Gordon, but when we got there, she couldn’t get out of the car.” Gordon was currently at a hospital for mentally ill prisoners and would be for the foreseeable future.
“I told her I’d go with her a million times.”
“That’s my point. She couldn’t even entertain the idea until recently. I want her to focus on healing. If I propose, I know she’ll start worrying about planning the wedding, and I don’t want that to distract her progress.”
“Could just go to Vegas. That’s what Piper and I did.”
I scoffed. “And deny her the opportunity to plan her dream wedding? Are you crazy?”
“You’ve given no indication you’re going anywhere, but no talks of marriage had me worried you weren’t all in.” I opened my mouth, but he held his hand up. “Don’t mistake me. I know you love her. It’s more about planting roots here than anything.”
“Do you not realize where you’re standing right now?”
“I hear you, but—”
“No buts, Austin.” I lowered my voice. “I’m not going anywhere unless she’s with me.”
He grinned as he brought the bottle to his mouth. “You sure Sal’s not your real dad? You’ve sure got the temper.” He squeezed my shoulder as he walked back to the party.
