I’m still not crazy about the paparazzi when we get to the venue, but it feels different this time. I’m not here on Barrett’s arm, feeling entirely out of place. Don’t get me wrong: I am on his arm, and I am still a horse in the dang kitchen, but this is mine too now. I made this happen, and I’m doing great things right alongside him.
I dip my head and laugh a little as Barrett rushes me past the photographers and into the building. I picked a place that wasn’t quite as fancy, but still looks nice enough to convince rich people to fork over their cash for a worthy cause.
“Ready to kiss some rich ass?” Barrett whispers, and I chuckle.
“I think I can prob’ly manage it.”
Like last time, we’re approached by folks one after another, but this time Barrett throws me to the sharks, making me take the lead on thanking everyone and talking about how important these libraries are. Of course, he’s there right next to me the whole time, giving me the strength and confidence to do this. No, that ain’t quite right…Barrett didn’t give me confidence or strength, he just showed me how to unlock it and gave me a safe place in his arms to feel vulnerable without all the hurt.
I spot Em across the room and drag Barrett over to him. I laugh out loud when I realize instead of a regular dress shirt under his suit jacket, he’s still wearing a unicorn t-shirt.
He shrugs when he catches me staring. “I t-thought it looked c-cute.”
“It does,” a deep voice says from behind us. I turn to see Kiernan devouring Em with his eyes.
Em blushes deep red. “T-t-t-t-thanks.”
“The place looks great,” Alden says, approaching at the same time that Nolan appears.
“And we got it done with half the budget we normally use,” Nolan announces.
“How’d we manage that?” Kiernan’s eyebrows go up.
“Sterling didn’t demand things be expensive just for the sake of spending money,” he answers blandly, shooting me a look that clearly says can you believe these guys. I chuckle into my hand. “Dinner will be served in ten minutes, if you want to get ready for your speech.”
“Not me.” Barrett shakes his head and then looks at me.
“What?” I shake my head quickly. “I can’t give a speech,” I argue, my face heating up at the thought of it.
“Of course you can. This project is yours, and everyone is here because they believe in it too. Just speak from the heart, and I’ll be right here when you’re done.”
Dang if the way he looks at me doesn’t make me feel like I’m invincible. He kisses my forehead and gives me a playful swat on the butt when I turn to walk up onto the small stage.
Gosh, it looks like a lot more people when you’re looking out at them like this. I glance over and find Barrett looking at me with so much love, it’s still hard to believe it’s real sometimes. What made him pluck me up and make me his, I’ll never know, but I finally feel worthy of it. He loves me, and I love him back just the same. Forever.
“Hi,” I say awkwardly, wincing when the microphone makes a high-pitched noise. “I…uh, I want to thank y’all for comin’ out tonight to support a good cause. Kids in rural areas need these books so bad, and I just know they’re gonna be so thrilled. I woulda been over the moon to have books comin’ to my house like this. So, thanks again and um…enjoy the evenin’.”
I hurry off the stage and back into Daddy’s waiting arms.
The six of us take a seat at our table and enjoy the dinner that’s served. Too bad we skipped dinner last time ‘cause this food is good.
Barrett
I’m so full of pride for my boy, I could almost burst. His head is held high through all the glad handing and dinner. He keeps shooting me smiles and reaching for my hand under the table like he needs me, but he doesn’t, not really. And that’s okay, as long as he wants me the same way I want him—Forever.
Dinner concludes, and the musical entertainment starts playing louder now, making the move from background music to something to dance to if any of the donors are so inclined.
“Dance with me,” I say, grabbing Sterling’s hand and pulling him to his feet.
“I ain’t no good at dancing,” he warns, following me toward the open space in front of the stage where the band is playing.
I pull him into my arms and start to sway. “That’s okay, because the secret to dancing is finding the right partner,” I tell him wisely, one hand on his waist and the other holding onto his hand to guide his movements. “If you find someone who knows how to lead, who you can let go and trust, then dancing is the easiest thing in the world.” I dip him playfully, falling in love all over again with the sound of his laughter. When I pull him back up, I hold him even closer, our bodies pressed together now. “My God, do I love you, Pretty Boy.” I sigh, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
He rests his head against my chest, making a happy sound of his own. “I love you too, Daddy. More than I even have the words for.”
From across the room, I spot Rhett, here with another date, as usual. Sterling spots him too, and to my surprise, he smiles and waves. It’s such an out of character, passive aggressive move by my boy that I can’t help but laugh.
By the end of the night, we have more than enough donations for the start-up cost required, and I have no doubt in my mind it’s all down to the effort Sterling put in and the passion he has for this project.
“I know it’s silly, but part of me feels like these books might change some kid’s life,” he says when we climb into the car a few hours later.
I loosen my bowtie and pull my boy onto my lap, unable to bear the thought of not holding him, even for the short drive home.
“That’s not silly at all. I think this program is absolutely going to change lives. Imagine all the kids who might’ve never had the chance to read who might decide to become authors or doctors or who just find the escape they need between the pages.”
He nods and then presses a kiss against my cheek. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“For what?” I ask, holding him tight.
“For everything. For making me happier and better and for loving me.”
“Oh, little rabbit,” I murmur, resting my forehead against his and closing my eyes. “You have that the wrong way around.”
Epilogue
Two Years Later
Sterling
Once upon a time, in a ridiculously fancy house in Las Vegas, there lived a boy. He knew he was loved because his Daddy told him so every single day. He spoiled the boy with presents and affection, even though the boy constantly told him to quit it. It wasn’t the boy’s fault his Daddy was so generous, but the boy still liked to do things for himself whenever he could. Some folks said the boy was too ugly to be loved, but the boy knew better now. He learned that sometimes you’re given hard things in life so you can prove how strong you are and to make sure only the right kind of people will love you.
“Sweetheart,” Barrett’s voice pulls me out of my happy musings.
My stomach lurches when I realize we’ve stopped in front of the coffee shop.
“She’s in there?” I ask, even though I already know the answer.
A few months ago, after a particularly athletic evening, while I was starting to drift to sleep in Daddy’s arms, some crazy words popped out of my mouth without even meaning to. I told him I wondered where my mama was and if she was okay.
I didn’t think no more about it until he came to me a few days ago and told me that he’d hired a private investigator to track her down for me. Apparently, she’d been living in Reno for a while now, and was open to meeting with me, if I wanted to.
“I can come in with you if you want,” he offers, and I reach over to squeeze his hand.
“I gotta do this myself.”
He don’t exactly look happy about my choice, but he don’t argue. Barrett lifts my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it.
“I’ll be right here whenever you’re done. Take your time, and if you need me, just text
me.”
I take a deep breath, steeling my nerves before getting out of the car. I just barely hear Barrett shout good luck through the pounding of my pulse in my ears. You’d think with the sleepless nights I’d had since he told me about this meeting, I’d’ve thought about what I’d say to her, but as soon as I’m standing in front of her, my mind is completely blank.
She looks better than I remember her, not as skinny, and her skin don’t seem to sag so much. She’s stirring a cup of tea and I stand in front of her for a few seconds, my heart trying it’s darndest to pound straight outta my chest.
“Mama,” I say, my voice cracking.
She whips her head up, and I’m surprised to see her eyes glassy with tears. I ain’t never seen her cry before, ‘cept when my gran died.
“Sterling.” She don’t sound much better than I do, her voice barely a whisper when she says my name, jumping up from the table and rushing around to wrap me up in a hug.
I go stiff in her arms, unsure what to do since this is surely a first for us. I awkwardly pat her back, slowly relaxing into the hug the longer it goes on. It’s not so bad once I have time to adjust to it. In fact, I could probably get used to doing it more…assuming this meeting goes well and we see each other again.
She releases me after a minute or two, and we both sit down.
“You look real good, Mama.”
She takes a sip of her tea and gives me a half-smile. “Quittin’ the booze will have that effect.”
“You quit drinkin’?”
She nods. “A year sober now. After I left Billow, I sorta hit rock bottom. That man I left with, he started hittin’ on me, got real bad. I didn’t want to go back though since I knew I already let you down too many times to count, so I hitched a ride and ended up here. I lived on the streets for a little while until I got a place in a shelter. They didn’t allow any drugs or nothin’ though, so I had to quit drinkin’ if I wanted a bed to sleep in. It wasn’t easy, but I managed it. Then it was like magic, things started gettin’ better. I prob’ly shoulda quit drinkin’ ages ago.”
I can hardly believe what I’m hearing. My heart hurts and soars for her at the same time knowing how hard things have been but seeing how much better she is now.
“That’s real good, Mama.” I reach over and pat her hand.
“It is,” she agrees. “I got a job now, my own apartment, I’m even seein’ a man I met in AA. He’s a real good man.”
“I’m happy to hear that.”
“I hear you got yourself a real good man too now,” she says. “That Barrett of yours called me and asked me to meet you here. He sounded real polite and like he cares a lot about you.”
I smile and squeeze her hand. “He is a good man,” I agree. “Real good. The best.” Instinctively, I look toward the window, knowing he’s out there waiting for me, never far away if I need him. And as independent as I’ve become, I always need him.
“Good,” she says again. “At least I didn’t screw you up too bad then.”
“Oh, Mama, you didn’t screw me up.”
“Course I did. I didn’t protect you from all those nasty folks who said stuff about your face; I didn’t do the things your mama should. But I can tell you now, I always thought your birthmark made you unique. You don’t look like nobody else; I like that.”
My throat tightens, and my eyes start to burn. “Thanks, Mama.”
“Do you think…I mean, I know I ain’t got no right to ask or nothin’, but maybe we can meet up again sometimes just to catch up? Or I could call sometimes, see how your life’s goin’?”
“I’d like that a lot,” I agree. “Let me order some coffee and we can catch up for a while.”
The two of us chat for nearly an hour, sharing everything that’s happened in the past two years. By the time I head back outside to find Barrett, my heart feels light. I left everything else about Billow behind me the day I drove outta there, but worry over my Mama always hung over me. Now I know she’s okay, we can start the next chapter in our lives, both of us finally happy for the first time.
I spot Barrett’s car and jog over to it. When I pull open the door, I find him reading a book. He smiles and sets the book down.
“How’d it go?” he asks.
I slide into my seat, my heart feeling so weightless and full of happiness all at once. I look at the book he set down and realize it’s the same one he read to me the first night I found him in the library. In an instant, I’m transported back to that moment, wrapped up in his arms, feeling like I was home for the first time in my life, even though I didn’t recognize the feeling at the time. He’s given me everything—a safe place to fall, all the words I needed to find my confidence, and the chance to be the best version of myself. He’s the best Daddy I never thought to ask for, but always needed.
“Sterling?” he says my name when I don’t answer his first question right away, but I’m too busy working out this huge feeling inside me to put words together.
I lick my lips and look into his eyes. “Marry me, Daddy?” My eyes go wide when the words burst out of me. I didn’t intend to say them, but boy do I mean them.
Barrett looks just as surprised as I am. “I—”
“I ain’t got a ring or nothin’,” I tell him apologetically. “But I could get one. I’ll get you a real nice one.” I don’t make all that much working at the bookstore, but it’s enough that I have a bit saved since Barrett refuses to let me pay any bills. He does let me take him out to dinner every so often at least.
He gives me a crooked smile and reaches into his pocket. “You sure know how to steal a guy’s thunder, little rabbit.” He pulls out a black, velvety box and pops the lid open to show me a shiny silver band with small diamonds studded in it.
“Is this…?” I reach for it slowly.
“I was planning to ask you tonight,” he explains, and I smile.
“You might have the ring, but I asked first,” I point out, and he chuckles.
“You did,” he agrees. “And, of course I’ll marry you, Pretty Boy. I can’t think of a single thing in the world I want more.”
He leans over the center console and pulls me in for a kiss, his lips soft and warm against mine, increasing the happy feeling in my chest by a million.
This Pretty Boy might’ve had a rocky start, but at least he got the happy ending right.
The End
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About the Author
Author K.M.Neuhold is a complete romance junkie, a total sap in every way. She started her journey as an author in new adult, MF romance, but after a chance reading of an MM book she was complete
ly hooked on everything about lovely- and sometimes damaged- men finding their Happily Ever After together. She has a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well. And she fully admits that her OCD tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory will likely always lead to every book having a spin-off or series. When she’s not writing she’s a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero…just kidding, she’s likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her husky while her amazing husband brings her coffee.
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