Page 10 of Summer Kisses (Kissing Junction, TX #8)

Donnie

One Month Later

T he last month with my girl has been the best of my life.

We were going to keep our relationship quiet from Victoria, but that was out the window pretty quickly.

My daughter is a smart kid, so when we held hands or quickly showed signs of affection, she would just giggle.

I half expected her to rebel, but I should have known better.

Those two get along like two peas in a pod and it warms my heart.

I make it a point to tell her I love her several times a day. I know that I am making up for all the time that I wanted to say it but didn’t.

Despite the short amount of time that we have been together, I am more than ready to make her my wife. Her by my side forever is just what I need. When Verity left for school this evening, I decided to officially talk to Victoria about it. I made dinner and approached the subject.

“V. We should talk,” I say, pouring ranch dressing on my salad.

“Okay, Daddy. About Verity?” She says, smiling.

“Why would you think that?” I ask.

“Duh, Daddy. I am seven, not a baby.” She says matter-of-factly. I can’t help laughing. Her little legs are swinging under her and I watch as she tries to spear a meatball with her glittery, pink toddler fork that she refuses to give up.

“Right. My little girl is growing up.” I say, ruffling her hair.

“Stop it, Dad.” She says as she swats my hand away.

“Fine. You win. So, about Verity, I want to marry her. What do you think about that?”

“Oh my gosh!” She squeals, jumping up from her chair, knocking it over.

“You okay?” I ask, laughing. I get up to help her.

“Yes. Oh my gosh! This is, like, the best news ever.” She gushes.

“Really?” I am instantly relieved at her show of excitement.

“Yes. I am going to get a mommy again.” She says. I pick her chair back up and she sits down.

“You already have a mommy. She lives in Dallas.” I say slowly, as I scoot her back under the table.

“No.” She says, squishing her nose up, and shaking her head.

“What do you mean when you say no?” I hold my breath. You never know what kids are going to say.

“I have a mother, who lives in Dallas. Ty has been my mommy for a while now. It’ll be nice for it to be offal.” She says tapping her cheek.

“Awful?” I question.

“You know, forever or something.” She says taking a bite of her spaghetti.

Does she mean official? Sometimes it’s like I am talking to a teenager and other times it’s like she is speaking a foreign language that I don’t know how to navigate.

“I see,” I say. I really am not sure if I do, but at least she seems on board.

I go back to eating as well. That was easier than I thought it would be.

“Can we watch a movie after dinner?” She asks.

“Of course. What will it be tonight?” I mentally prepare myself for yet another viewing of something we’ve seen a thousand times.

“Angels in the Outfield.” She says bouncing into the living room, after putting her plate on the counter by the sink.

“Where did you see that?” I ask. That movie came out when I was fourteen. By rights, she should have no idea what the hell that is.

“Ty. It’s her favorite movie.” That is unexpected, but it makes sense as she was raised by her older brother. Ryder is about my age and a good friend of mine. Which reminds me, I should go and see him tomorrow and get his permission.

“Alright. Angels in the Outfield it is. Go set it up while I do the dishes. You want popcorn?” I ask.

“Duh.” She says, turning back to the DVD player.

“I’ll be right in. We need to discuss my plan for asking her to marry me.”

Tomorrow is going to be a big day for this family.

◆◆◆

The next night, I am anxious to make her mine. Every so often, I feel the little velvet box in my pocket. My discussion with Ryder went about as well as I expected it to. All he said was it was about time, and then we shared a beer. At eight-thirty, I set my plan in motion.

“Bedtime.” I say to V. She jumps up, a little too enthusiastically for a kid going to bed. I have to hide my smile.

“Ty? Will you read to me?” She says right on cue.

“Of course, Vick. Go get in your jammies and I will be right in.” She says picking up the various toys on the living room floor.

Since we have been together officially, I haven’t kept a thing from her. All I have wanted to do all day is tell her. I went and saw my mother this morning. She gave me my Gran’s engagement ring. I think that it says a lot that I didn’t give it to Jennifer.

I think that it is insane that I ever thought I loved that conniving woman. Fifteen minutes in Verity’s presence blew that out of the water.

Jennifer’s betrayal with Tom broke me. For a while, I thought that I would never trust another woman again.

We were on our own for a long time, then Verity swooped in and answered my ad.

Since that day, I have been working towards this moment.

It was solidified by the way she is with Victoria.

All year, I have been hovering near her, keeping guys away from what was mine.

I should have claimed her that first day, but I didn’t want to do anything that would upset V.

She has been through so much in the last few years.

It’s amazing how much Verity has helped V throughout this year.

About halfway through their current chapter of a Sweet Valley Twins book, V stops her when I move into the doorway. I see my two favorite girls snuggled in bed together, looking five kinds of adorable.

“Will you be my mommy, Ty?” Victoria asks in a tiny voice.

Verity’s head snaps up and she calmly closes the book. She sits up quickly.

“Vick, sweetie. You know you have a mommy. I could never replace her. It wouldn’t be right.” She pats her hand.

“Yeah, but she didn’t want me. You do.” V turns on the tears.

Damn , I feel like this started out as a game for her but shit just got real.

“Daddy says you should be ours.” She sniffles and sits up. Her expectant look makes me smile.

“Does he?” Her eyes find mine. I move towards her and drop to my knees next to her.

Here goes nothing…