Page 115 of Love Deep

“Cool!” she says, glancing down at her Vivian Cross t-shirt.

“And maybe we’ll spend some of the school vacations in New York.”

Her head snaps up, and she looks at me as if to check what she heard was correct. “Really? We get to come back to New York?”

“She’s a fan,” I tell Fisher.

“I’m glad. What about you? Do you like New York?”

“I do. Just as much as I thought I would before… before life got complicated.”

He tries to suppress a smile. It’s cute that he likes me liking his city. Just as much as I like the way he likes Star Falls.

“Are you and Fisher boyfriend and girlfriend now?” Riley asks, and my stomach dives to the floor.

“Um, I, well, I was—” I can’t get my words out.

“Is that something that you’d like?” Fisher asks, proving to be a much better parent in this moment.

“Yeah. I told Mommy that ages ago.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“No one’s ever going to replace your dad, though,” I reassure her.

“I don’t really ever see my dad now anyway. So…”

“That sucks,” Fisher says.

“Yeah,” Riley replies. “But I have the best mommy, so that makes me lucky.”

“I vote pancakes,” I say.

“Maybe they’ll make one in the shape of a love heart that you and Fisher can share.”

“That’s an awesome idea,” Fisher replies. “I’m going to ask them if they’ll do that.”

Riley gets out of bed and slips her hand into Fisher’s and leads him out the bedroom door. “I think you have to give me a tour. Especially if I’m going to be staying here a lot, what with you being my mom’s boyfriend and everything.”

I scurry to the bedroom door so I can overhear their conversation.

“Sounds fair,” Fisher replies. “Maybe you could pick out one of the rooms as a bedroom, and I can get it redecorated for when you’re next here.”

“Really?” Riley asks. “I’ve always wanted a bunk bed.”

“Bunk beds are cool,” Fisher agrees.

I can do nothing but smile. If the man I love wants to spoil my daughter, who am I to stand in his way?

EPILOGUE

Three months later

Fisher

I’ve had a charmed life, but I’ve never felt so lucky as I do now. I get to spend my life with the woman I love and the girl who becomes more and more like my own daughter the longer I spend time with her. They are my family. They are my world. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for either of them.

I also got to choose the movie this afternoon, so I’d say I was on a winning streak.

“I have something to show you,” I blurt out, as the credits start to roll and before we can start debating who enjoyed the movie. “And I don’t want you to freak out.” I’ve been keeping this secret for a while now. And I’m not sure how it will land.