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I shake my head. "I'm much more focused on the words in meetings than I am on the furnishings."
"If someone had ever told me that I'd be sitting down to talk with the billionaire owner of a hockey team in my garage, I would've told them they were nuts," Kevin says, sitting back in his recliner. "If that person had told me that that same man would be banging my daughter, I probably would've punched him."
I take a seat on the loveseat, perching on the edge and resting my forearms on my thighs, linking my fingers. I take a breath and work on keeping my temper in check. "I appreciate you getting right to the point. I do want to make a quick, very important correction, though. I am not ‘banging’ your daughter. That would imply that we were having meaningless sex. I am very much in love with her."
"But you're sleeping with her."
Kevin is in his early sixties. He’s roughly twenty years my senior. We’re about the same number of years apart as Crew and me. And as Danielle and me.
And Kevin is going to have to get over that. Like I did.
"Yes, your daughter sleeps in my bed most nights."
"I don't need details," Kevin says, holding up a hand.
"Nor was I going to give you any more."
Kevin shifts in his chair. He won’t make eye contact. "You have to understand that this is an awkward position for a father."
"Actually, Kevin, with all due respect, you’re only feeling awkward because you’re focusing on one aspect of our relationship. And I feel it’s very important that you understand the big picture."
He meets my gaze now.
“Your daughter is an amazing woman. You’ve known her for twenty-four years. I find it hard to believe that you’re surprised that other people realize how incredible she is. And I am a very intelligent man. As is Dr. Hughes. As is, as much as it sometimes pains me to admit it, Crew McNeill. There is no way that any of us could have met and spent even five minutes with your daughter and not fallen completely in love with her."
Kevin frowns. But he doesn’t argue with me about how wonderful Danielle is. That’s a point in his favor.
"Most people don't fall in love withthreepeople,” he mutters.
"That might be true,” I acknowledge. “Or our society says it’s strange and not acceptable to do that, so they resist and repress their feelings. Fortunately, I met an amazing woman and two remarkable men who changedmymind about that."
Kevin’s frown deepens, but I continue. "I can be a real bastard, Mr. Larkin. I have spent a lot of time with men who can be real bastards. I can be cold, unyielding, and unconcerned about other people's feelings and problems. But Danielle didn't care about any of that. Her light and love came into my life, regardless of all that.”
I take a breath. “And Michael and Crew have been nothing but patient, and open, and accepting. They are two of the best men I’ve ever met, and they’re the best friends I've ever had. I was helpless to resist being involved with any of them. As someone who has had very little family and love in my life, I can't believe they put up with me, to be honest. I’m the lucky one to be included. And even though it hasn't been very long, I am smart enough to understand what I have, and there is nothing—” I meet his gaze directly, making sure he’s paying attention “—nothingthat will keep me from being with them."
Kevin finally takes a deep breath and blows it out. “I…respect that.”
“Do you?”
He nods. “Even if I don’t completely understand it, and it might take some time to get used to this whole idea, I…” He clears his throat. “I have to admit that Danielle seems very happy.”
I nod. “She is.Veryhappy. And I can promise you that she always will be.”
“You better.”
“And I respect that,” I tell him sincerely. I lean in. “But I’m going to be honest and tell you that there will be times I’ll mess up. I’ll fall short of being the man Danielle truly deserves.”
Kevin frowns but doesn’t say anything.
“But when that happens,” I continue. “Michael and Crew will be there to call me out and make me step up again. Just like when they fall short, I’ll be there. Danielle will never want for anything. She’ll never be alone. She’ll never be unprotected.” I take a breath. “Mr. Larkin, I would burn the world down for your daughter. Then Crew would pick her up and carry her across the ashes, and Michael would rebuild it to be everything she ever wanted.”
He’s watching me now with a mix of surprise and confusion and what I can only call hope. He wants this to be true.
“Thank you, Nathan,” he finally says. “Danielle has always been our…treasure. We’ve definitely had our ideas about how we thought her life would go, but, at the end of the day, we want her to be happy and…loved.”
“She is absolutely, most definitely that,” I say.
“Then…fine.”
