“Henley?” She smiled at the Bieber reference. “That weekend I had to fly to L.A. he tried to hit on me. I told him you’d kick his ass if you knew.”
“Hell yeah, I would’ve. But I didn’t get a chance, did I? Because you never told me, Viv.”
She opened her mouth and closed it again. “This is different.”
I moved closer to her. “Like hell.”
“Kane . . .”
“Viv.”
A few seconds of silence passed.
“I love you,” I said. “I’ve never had this before, what we’ve got, and I’m not losing it. I’ll tell Cori no more visits at their house.”
Viv met my eyes solemnly. “You’ll tell her you want time with Brooklyn without her present. And if she says no, we’ll petition the court for it.”
A sliver of hope glowed warm in my chest. “Okay, that’s fair. I’ll tell her that.”
“And you’ll share stuff with me from now on. Not leave me in the dark.”
“I’ll never leave you in the dark again.”
Her eyes softened. “And you won’t let me sleep alone ever again.”
I put my hands on her hips, the soft, familiar curves of her making my blood pump. “Never again.”
“I love you,” she said, resting her palms on my chest. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to love anyone else.”
I leaned my forehead against hers. “I hope not, because I’ll fucking castrate any man you look twice at.”
She laughed softly. “So romantic, Kane.”
“I’m your unpolished gem, remember?”
“You are.”
“So let’s go inside and I’ll remind you just how unpolished I am in bed.”
“I may need multiple reminders.”
I pulled her in close. “Done.”
Four months later
THERE WAS SOMETHING SEXY ABOUT the pale pink paint specks in Kane’s beard. He saw me admiring him and arched his brows.
“See something you like?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” He smacked my ass and scooped his hands behind my legs, picking me up.
I laughed uncontrollably and even snorted in a most unladylike way as he tickled me. Brooklyn came running into the kitchen carrying a pink-paint covered paintbrush.
“You ready for more paint?” Kane asked her, setting my feet back on the floor.
“Yeah. Viv, come see how good it looks!”
I smiled and walked down my apartment’s short hallway, admiring the tiny room that used to be my office. Now it was Brooklyn’s bedroom when she stayed with us. We were paining it pink and having new carpet put in. Kane had already started building a loft bed for her and was planning to make her a bookcase next.
The gym’s storage room that had formerly been his home was now his woodworking shop. He’d discovered a passion for it and I’d often go to the shop with him, working on my laptop on the couch that still remained there. The silence between us was always comfortable. I liked knowing he was there even if we weren’t talking.
Our life together was evolving nicely. We had Brooklyn every other weekend, which we’d achieved through mediation with Cori rather than taking her to court. Kane had told her in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t be spending time alone with her anymore.
He still wasn’t open to Grayson coming over. After a thirty day stay at a rehab facility in January, Grayson seemed to be doing better. But Kane said he still had a long road ahead and couldn’t be trusted in our home after stealing from me. We invited him to have dinner with us at the club regularly, and Kane had forgiven his six thousand dollar debt. He definitely hadn’t forgotten it, though, and he watched Grayson like a hawk. I was secretly relieved, because the trust between me and Grayson hadn’t been rebuilt yet.
“You booked us in for a table Friday night, right?” I asked Kane.
“Yep. In the room with the stripper pole.”
I looked at him, my brows arched. “Are you kidding? I know you’re kidding, but I need you to confirm that you’re not taking my parents into the room with the pole.”
“Course I’m kidding. Don’t worry, baby. Your parents are gonna love your tattooed, ex-con, nightclub owner boyfriend.”
I shrugged. “They should love you, but if they don’t?”
“Eff ‘em,” Kane said. He was watching his use of his favorite word around Brooklyn.
“You can just say it,” she said, looking over at us from the wall she was painting. “I know what eff means.”
Kane’s expression sobered. “If any boy ever says that word to you, I want you to slap him. Really hard.”
She smiled the same smile that had melted my heart last fall in the most unexpected of places and ways. I saw so much of Kane in his daughter. And with her in his life, he was lighter. Free from the demons that had been chasing him when we met.
A life full of love had been waiting for him. And now that he’d reached for it, he was holding on tight. And I was, too.
Two Years Later
Brooklyn
I’VE NEVER FELT SO BEAUTIFUL. My pale blue dress comes all the way down to the floor and it shines a little in the light when I move. I’m wearing sparkly silver sandals and my toenails are bright pink because I got my first pedicure the other day.
And my hair . . . it’s all curled and piled on my head. Dad insisted on getting me a tiara that has tiny shining diamonds in it. He said I should look like the princess I am today.
And I do. He’s marrying Viv today, but they’ve told me so many times that this isn’t just their special day–it’s ours.
I’m walking slowly, like the wedding planner told me to. I’m not as nervous as I thought I’d be, because I’m keeping my eyes on my dad. He looks so handsome in his tuxedo, his short hair in a neat cut and his beard trimmed short.
The way he’s smiling at me makes me want to cry. I see the shine of tears in his eyes. He feels so much guilt over missing the first nine years of my life and I wonder if he’s thinking about that. I hope not. I hope he’s thinking about the past two years, when he and Viv have tried hard to make up for lost time.
We have lunch at the club every other Sunday, when it’s closed. One of the chefs there, Tim, lets us come in and help him cook. We wash and chop and talk about our week. Dad and Viv like hearing about my classes and friends. They come to all my soccer games.
I love spending time at Dad and Viv’s place in the city. I spent a week there over Christmas and we shopped for the perfect tree. Dad carried it home over his shoulder and we decorated it pink and purple. We played games and wrapped presents and Viv helped me make a Christmas ornament and decorate a picture frame to give to Mom for Christmas.
It was hard for Mom at first, when she was all alone. She was afraid of losing me, even though that could never happen. No one means more to me than Mom. But eventually she saw how happy it makes me to be with Dad and Viv. Now she likes it when I spend time with them.
I get to the end of the aisle and Dad reaches up to wipe the corner of his eye. His friend Jeff claps him on the shoulder. I smile at him and take my place at the end of Viv’s row of bridesmaids.
Being maid of honor is a pretty big deal. I still can’t believe Viv asked me. She said there was no one else she’d rather have. I love her. She’s beautiful and sweet and so in love with my dad.
Everyone stands and turns toward the end of the aisle. I hear happy sighs, and I know why when I see Viv. She looks like a princess. Her strapless white dress glitters with all the pearls and beads sewn into it. It fits her so perfectly. Her dark hair is piled into curls on her head just like mine, and she wears a tiara that’s just a little bigger than mine.