Page 69 of Charm (Billionaire Buck Boys #7)

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

Holden

It’s been two days since Greer and I told our daughter that I’m her father. I’ve spent as much time as I could with Olive and her mom since. Olive wanted to see where I live so I brought them here earlier for lunch.

Olive insisted on having a grand tour. It only took a couple of minutes because my apartment isn’t large. At the end of the visit, she looked up at her mom and suggested I live with them.

Greer shot me a smile. I gave her one back, but there wasn’t a discussion to be had at that moment.

This is all moving at warp speed, but I want my daughter to have the time she needs to adjust to all of this. Right now, it’s a whirlwind of new discoveries, but we have a lot of lost time to make up for.

I don’t want to rush anything. We have all the time in the world to be a family.

A loud rap at my apartment door tells me Rook and Declan are here. I’ve already had a one-on-one conversation with my brother about the paternity test results and how things have been going since then. It’s time to clue Rook into that and reveal to Declan that I’m a dad.

I swing the door open to find my closest friends with smiles on their faces.

It’s almost seven p.m., so I’m not surprised to see a Franzini’s pizza box in Rook’s hands and a six-pack of my favorite beer in Declan’s.

Rook may have an idea of why I called them both here, but Declan is clueless.

I motion for them to come in.

Rook bursts out laughing as he crosses the threshold. “Jesus, Holden. Enough with the twinning. Did you smuggle a phone into my apartment and hand it to my daughter so she can give you a heads-up about what I’m wearing every day?”

Declan and I join in the laughter since I’m wearing jeans and a blue T-shirt that’s just a shade lighter than the one Rook has on.

“I may need to get in on this trend,” Declan says.

He’s still wearing the suit he’s likely had on all day. Since Gilbert was born, he’s gone back to working a few days a week, but he’s making extra time to spend with his newborn.

They cross the apartment to drop the pizza and beers on the dining table.

As soon as they both turn around to face me, I look straight at Rook. “You’re fired. You are no longer my attorney.”

“Screw you!” he yells with a grin on his face. “I’ve never been fired before.”

“You hired him for what reason?” Declan asks. “What kind of trouble did you get into?”

I approach where he’s standing so I can be directly in front of him because I know Declan, and a hug is in my very near future.

“I hired him to give me advice about a personal matter.” I draw out the big reveal. “His advice was solid.”

“You fired him, so can one of you tell me what the fuck is going on?” Declan looks at Rook before he levels his gaze back on my face.

“I’m a dad,” I say proudly. “I have an amazing seven-year-old daughter.”

“What the hell?” Declan stares at me. “Are you serious?”

“Her name is Olive,” I tell him. “She’s perfect, Declan. She’s so fucking perfect.”

That’s it.

That’s all it takes for him to pull me into him for a bear hug.

“How?” He chuckles. “Not how did it happen, but how did you find out?”

We break apart. “I fell in love with her mom. I met her daughter and realized she was my daughter.”

He shakes his head. “Wait. You’re saying you slept with this woman years ago, reconnected now, and she told you that she’d had your kid during your first go round?”

“It’s way more complicated than that.” Rook laughs, slapping Declan on the shoulder. “I’ll grab some beers because this is going to take some time for Holden to explain it all to you.”

It’s been four weeks since Olive found out she’s my daughter. Tonight, I’m watching her spin around the dance floor in the ballroom at the Bishop Hotel Tribeca.

Martha made the pale green dress she’s wearing. Olive said she felt like a princess in it.

I reach across the table to tap Greer’s wrist to pull her attention to me. She reluctantly does. I can’t blame her. She’s been watching Olive dance, too. It’s a sight to behold. As soon as I told my daughter that I knew how to tap dance, she wanted tap shoes.

For the past two weeks, we’ve been practicing in one of the spare rooms on the second level of Greer’s house. Bruce has joined in with bare feet. It’s become a family tradition after dinner.

“This wedding has got me thinking,” I say as soon as Greer looks at me.

A soft smile spreads over her ruby red lips. “About what?”

She knows the answer to that question. As we were getting ready to come to Krista and Howie’s wedding today, I dropped to one knee to tie my shoe. I heard her breath catch as I did, so I know we’re edging closer to the day when I can finally ask this beauty to be my wife.

“When I get married, I have three solid choices for a best man,” I tease.

Her eyes light up. “I have one choice for a matron of honor.”

Since Olive is the flower girl today, she has already made it clear that when we get married, she’s reliving that role for us.

“Martha?” I ask with a soft smile.

“You know it.” She glances at Olive again. “It’s been a month since she found out you’re her dad. She’s been asking me a question, Holden. She’s going to ask you tonight.”

“About?”

I expect her to say marriage or our living arrangements since I’ve been spending a few nights a week at Greer’s home. She’s come to my apartment, too, but she’s always in a rush to get back to her house before Olive wakes up.

“Her name.” Her eyes lock with mine. “Olive Irwin-Sheppard is what she’d like to be called.”

There’s an instant lump of emotion in my throat.

I knew this was coming when my mom met Olive last week.

My daughter made a point of mentioning that she loved our surname.

My mom pulled me aside to tell me that she thought Olive would make the request for a name change soon.

Her grandmother’s intuition was spot on.

“How do you feel about that?” I ask Greer.

“It has a nice ring to it.” She smiles softly. “Olive Irwin-Sheppard. Greer Irwin-Sheppard. It all sounds good to me.”

“Does that mean…”

I’m about to drop to one knee to ask her if it means she’s ready for a proposal. I’ve been carrying an emerald and diamond ring engagement ring around with me for a week.

“It means one day after you move in with us, you’ll get on one knee and it will have nothing to do with tying your shoe.”

“I can move in tomorrow,” I offer.

“We’ll talk about when you should move in tomorrow,” she counters. “We’ll make it soon, Holden. We’re a family. I feel it.”

“Me too.” I tilt my chin toward the dance floor. “Let’s join our daughter out there.”

She moves to stand, so I follow suit. I take her in my arms to kiss her deeply before we dive into the dancing crowd.

“I love you,” I whisper. “I love you so fucking much.”

“I love you, too,” she says. “Until the end of time.”