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She says nothing.
“Ma’am, I love your daughter. I have for a very long time, and I can’t imagine a future without her. I’d like to ask for her hand in marriage.”
“Love.” She tilts her head to the side. “Love is a word we throw around so casually.”
I hold my breath.
“I know you love her, Cody. But as a mother, I can only do the best to look out for my child. Unfortunately, I don’t trust your version of love.”
My heart pangs. This is not going well.
“You didn’t show up to your first wedding. You left my daughter sobbing in her wedding dress. Do you know how evil you have to be to do that to someone you love?”
I glance down.
“And if I didn’t think you loved her then, maybe I could get over it. The problem is that I believe you loved her in college. I believe you wanted her. But love didn’t keep you from inflicting such deep pain. Even worse, you never came back. You never called her. You left without a word for ten years. You love her, but you were willing to stab her heart to death. If it was your daughter, would you be pleased with a man like that?”
“No, ma’am.” I lick my lips.
“Then you understand why I can never give you my blessing.”
“Ms. Liandra, with all due respect,” I inhale deeply, “I’m not ever giving up on your daughter.”
Her eyebrows rise.
“And I will be back here, every day, begging on my knees if I have to. Clarissa is the most important woman in the world to me. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her. There is nothing I wouldn’t sacrifice for her. And you’re right. There’s no excuse in the world for what I did on our wedding day. Nothing that would make it okay. All I have is my own unshakeable conviction that she is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with.” I gesture to the bookshelves. “So you can continue to test me, work me, and do whatever you want until your anger is appeased. I won’t complain. I’ll do it gladly.”
“Oh? Gladly?”
I glance around the space. “I’ve noticed that your rooms could use some updating. And there’s a big backyard with no playground. I want to bring my team here to do some work.”
“You’re trying to bribe me?”
“No, ma’am. Clarissa is my life. And you… you’re her heart. That means whatever is important to you is important to me.”
“You’re still offering to help me even though I said I won’t give you my blessing?”
“I don’t know what one has to do with the other.”
All of a sudden, Liandra’s lips curl up. Is she… smiling at me? It feels like I’m in the Twilight Zone.
“You can come in now,” Liandra calls.
The door creaks open and Ris walks in with a smile like the sun.
“What’s… going on?”
She loops her hand around my waist. “I have a confession to make.”
“Okay...”
“I hired Clay to investigate you.”
My eyes widen. “You didwhat?”
“Your brother is very thorough. It’s no wonder his services are so pricey.” Liandra crosses the room and takes a seat behind her desk. “Clarissa, show him what we got.”
I’m still reeling from shock that mybrotherdid an investigation on me.