Page 151 of The Heartbreaker

When we finally quieted, I said, “Honestly, I’m just glad the two of you can have conversations about Daisy and she’s comfortable reaching out to you.”

“Since Brady and Lily’s wedding, things between us have warmed up a lot—you know that. It makes me so happy that she trusts me and she trusts my decisions.” She adjusted the top of her bikini. “I don’t know if we’ll ever meet up for drinks or anything like that, but who knows? Wilder things have happened.”

“Like?”

She thought for a moment. “Like how the man who hired me for a whole shift at the strip club is now my boyfriend who I’m living with.”

I pushed the stray hairs away from her eyes. “Who’s going to become your husband.”

Her smile got even larger. “And that.”

“And who loves you more than anyone in this whole fucking world.”

Her eyes fluttered closed. “Mister, there’s someone who comes in a close second and would fight you if they heard you say that.”

“Your sister? Your mom? Dad? Leah?”

Her eyes opened, and she held my hand to her face. “Our Daisy.”

Our Daisy.

She was right about that.

I took in her eyes, her nose, her lips, and then I glanced up at the sky one last time. It was a cloudy afternoon, the sun only peeking through the open spots between the thick, billowy ones.

In those spots, where the rays were the strongest, he was there.

I couldn’t see him.

But I could feel him.

And I knew he was watching me, listening, present in every way that he could be, so I silently said,Dad, I’m loving big. I’m loving hard. I’m loving unapologetically. Because you’re right; being in love is the greatest blessing in this world.

I looked at Addison and silently added,I’ll never be alone again, Dad. I promise.