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“What are your intentions with my daughter?”

Carla’s eyes lurched. “Daddy!”

“I’m talking to Mr. Rose, young lady.”

“Can we pray over the food first, or are you going to go all-in on your questionnaire?”

“You’re right. Let’s pray.” Mr. Jones looked at Jacob. “Care to lead us in prayer, Mr. Rose?”

“I’ll be honored to.”

They bowed their heads, and Jacob led them into a spiritual realm with the Almighty God. He petitioned covering over their food, their lives, and requested a continuance of ordering their footsteps.

“Amen.”

“Amen,” Carla and Mr. Jones mimicked.

“To answer your question, Mr. Jones. I recently asked your daughter to be my girlfriend. I’ve always been attracted to Carla, but I didn’t pursue her because I wanted more than what meets the eye.”

He kept his gaze focused on her father though Carla was sitting next to him, watching Jacob speak. “Truth was, I’ve had some bad relationships in the past—not because of any fault of my own. I struggled with whether to give my attention to getting to know someone on an intimate—mind, body, and soul—level.”

He cleared his throat.

“I’m thankful, however, that Carla was still available when I did ask her out. Now, I’d like to continue getting to know every intricate thing about her.” He finally glanced at Carla. “Her fears and her happiness. Hopes, dreams, and worries. What makes her so silly.” He smiled. “How I can add to the good in her life.”

Mr. Jones glanced from Jacob to the growing blush on Carla’s face. “What makes you sure that she’s not like those bad women you had in the past?”

Carla whipped her head to her dad, brows furrowed, confused by his question.

Giving Mr. Jones his attention, Jacob responded, “Carla has a genuine spirit. She wants to love others and show them how to love. She just subliminally gave her students an entire lesson on loving one another, regardless of differences.” His gaze went back to Carla, who now had a sentimental look on her face.

“There’s not a disingenuous bone in her body,” he said with affirmation. “I want…I need her to give me the chance to show her we are the same.”

Carla’s throat tightened. Was this man trying to make her cry at the table, or what? Her heart swelled along with her intake of breath.

“That’s a great answer,” Mr. Jones said.

Jacob turned back to Mr. Jones. “I meant every word.”

“I know it.” Mr. Jones held out his hand for a shake, and Jacob gripped it. “If my daughter allows, welcome to the family.”

They shook, and Carla sat speechless, eyeing them both and dying with unimaginable happiness inside.

Could this be real? Was she dreaming, destined to wake at any moment? That’s what happened when dreams were too good to be true, right?

But as Carla pinched herself underneath the table, the sting assured her, she was indeed awake.

Chapter Seventeen

“Hey, Mrs. Valentine, how was the honeymoon?” Strolling mindlessly down the main aisle at Nordstrom, Carla slipped her cell into her purse after activating her Bluetooth.

“Girl, let me tell you something, Kyle is like the best husband a woman could dream for,” London Jones—now Valentine—Carla’s cousin, said.

“Well, he is your only husband, so you don’t have much to go on,” she teased.

“Carla, please, you know what I mean.”

Carla’s lips rose in a soft smile. “I do.”