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“You went to him?” He growls.
I shake my head. “No, but a friend of mine might have figured out how to get into his office. I should have asked, but you got a copy of the original. I hope you’re not upset people are going to think?—
He rolls his eyes. “Anyone I give a damn about knows who I am, so like I said, I don’t give a shit. I love her.”
“I’m already being seen as some scorned woman crazy to the people I don’t give a darn about, so I plan to tell anyone who asks that I didn’t tell you and?—”
“I’m not gonna let you do that.”
“You don’t get to make all the decisions, John Paul.” I place my hand over my heart. “She’s mine.”
He nods and then lifts a shoulder. A smile tugs at his lips for just a second. “Walking into church that very first time we attended, I was still angry that He took Dad, but when I saw you outside with a glove, throwing a ball up in the air and catching it over and over,” he holds his hand over his heart. “You’ve been mine since that day, and I’ve been yours.”
I hold out my pinkie. “Best friends forever.”
He links his with mine. “Best friends for always.”
I inhale a deep breath. “I need to ask for a favor.”
“Anything.”
“If we’re going the route of fighting together … York thinks it might be a good idea”—I scrunch my eyes shut for the next part—“if you and I get married in case he does try to have her removed from my custody. You being named as her father and us being married would give us a better chance of?—”
“Open your eyes, Whitley Mae.”
I open them one at a time. “In name only. I’ll sign a prenup. You being on the road, it won’t be weird that Nora and I are living with Popa B and Gram.”
Mischief plays in his blue eyes. “I have conditions.”
I roll my eyes, knowing exactly what he wants from me. “Fine, I’ll say it. Please.”
“That’s not it, but I like the way you’re thinking.”
“Okay, shush and tell me this condition.”
“When we say I do, I get to kiss you.”
My face starts to heat up. “Fine.”
“You’ll let me make decisions with you to keep you and our Nora safe.”
“Okay.”
“I won’t be around a lot, but I want you and Nora to live in the house when it’s finished, and I want your help in making plans for the rest of the expansion.”
“Only if I can pay some of the bills.”
“That’s fine, but when I’m home, we have to act like we’re a real couple. I want Nora to see us as her parents together. I know I can handle that. Can you?”
I nod. “And I have a condition. I mean, I’ll have more, but one right now.”
“It’s only fair. Go ahead.”
“We get married soon. Like, really soon. Like, before your meeting with Kevin. I want them to know we’re not messing around.”
“Like a little white chapel in Vegas soon?” he asks, clearly amused.
“I mean, yeah.”
