by E. L. Todd
“Thank you, mama,” she said.
Scarlet stroked her hair and continued to examine the ring.
Sean moved to the edge of the bed then looked at the ring too. “Didn’t spare any expense, huh?”
I shrugged in response.
“It’s perfect for you, pumpkin,” he said as he held her hand. “I was so scared I wouldn’t be walking you down the aisle…” He took a deep breath. “I’m glad I’m going to be able to do that.”
“Daddy…” She squeezed his hand. “Everything worked out.”
I’d never seen Sean so emotional but he almost lost his daughter. I didn’t blame him.
“I know,” he said. “And I’m so thankful for that.” He kissed her hand. “I just got you back but I have to give you away again...” He shot me a look. “But in a good way.”
My dad came to my side. “Thanks for the heads up.”
“Sorry,” I said with a chuckle. “I just decided on a whim.”
“That speech didn’t sound like it was made up on the spot,” he noted.
“I’ve known what I was going to say for a really long time,” I admitted.
He clapped my shoulder then hugged me. “I’m happy for you, son. You picked a good one, the best one, actually.”
“I know, Dad.”
Dad hugged Skye next. “I’m so happy to have you as a daughter.”
“Thank you, Cortland,” she said.
Dad examined the ring. “My son owes me a hundred bucks from our last poker game but he goes out and buys this…” He gave me a smug look.
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll pay you, Dad.”
He chuckled then turned to Scarlet. “Wow, our kids are getting married. Can you believe it?”
“Yes,” she said. “I’ve wanted this to happen for a very long time. Sean as well.”
“You raised a fine son,” Sean said. “I know my little girl is in good hands.”
“Which says a lot coming from him,” Ryan noted. “He’s the world’s most protective father.”
“Psycho father, actually,” Mike said.
“You’re one to talk,” Sean snapped.
Mike shrugged. “Good point.”
Having our family there to joke and laugh was exactly what she and I both needed. The last twenty-four hours were pure hell and now we were finally free. We were moving on from this dark time and becoming stronger as a couple. Now she would be my wife—something I already dreamed about.
***
People finally started to leave when it was time for Skye to get some rest. I stayed by her bedside and refused to move. I would be here as long as she was in the hospital. Mostly everyone went home, but Sean and Scarlet stayed, as well as Trinity and Slade.
My hand gripped Skye’s, needing to feel her pulse underneath my fingers.
“So, when’s the wedding?” Trinity asked.
Skye turned to me. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it. But we aren’t going to plan anything until you guys have your big day. We don’t want to take anything away.”
Trinity rolled her eyes. “Girl, I don’t care. If you guys want to get married now, do it.”
“Sounds good to me,” I said. “Let’s go down to City Hall.”
Skye cringed. “We aren’t doing that.”
“Then the courthouse,” I said. “Wherever.”
“I want something small,” Skye said. “But nice.”
“Your father and I got married at his parents’ house,” Scarlet said. “You can get married at ours.”
“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” Skye said.
“Whatever you want.” I kissed her hand. “Just marry me.”
“When are you guys going to have kids?” Trinity asked.
“As soon as possible,” I said.
“We are?” Skye asked.
“I’m ready for a family.” I knew I was young but I also knew what I wanted.
“Dude,” Slade hissed. “Back up a little.”
I forgot that Slade was stuck having children when I did. I was throwing him under the bus. But I decided to be selfish. “I want kids whenever you’re ready.”
“But we aren’t ready,” Trinity said. “I’m building my company from the ground and Slade is starting his own shop. We just can’t swing it right now.”
“We don’t have to have kids at the same time,” I argued.
“But we want to,” Trinity said.
“How about you guys get married first then go from there?” Sean asked, clearly uncomfortable by all this talk of kids.
“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Slade said, glad to venture away from this topic.
I would ask Skye when we were alone together. “Tired, baby?”
“A little…” She yawned.
I ran my fingers through her hair to soothe her and help her fall asleep.
Sean watched her face, like he didn’t want to miss another moment with her.
Slade yawned. “Let’s go home and get some sleep, baby.”
“Okay,” Trinity said. “We’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Okay,” I said. “See you then.”
“Congrats, man.” Slade squeezed my shoulder on the way out.
Sean and Scarlet stayed, which I didn’t mind.
“Maybe we should get some sleep at home,” Scarlet said. “Cayson will stay here.”
“I’m not leaving,” Sean said immediately. “But you can go, baby. You deserve to get some sleep.”
“I don’t want to sleep there alone tonight…”
I didn’t ask why. I’m pretty sure I didn’t want to know.
“You can go to the Plaza. It’s right down the street,” he said. “Or Ryan’s.”
“No, it has to be you,” she said.
They reminded me of Skye and I.
Sean stood up and adjusted the chairs so she could lay on him.
“But you’ll be uncomfortable,” she said.
“I’ll be awake anyway.” He patted his lap and she rested her head there. Then he moved his fingers through her hair. Scarlet closed her eyes and fell asleep within minutes.
Skye fell asleep too. I could tell by her deep breathing.
Sean stopped staring at Skye then looked at me. “I’m sorry this happened.” He kept his voice low so he wouldn’t stir the girls.
“What do you mean?”
“That Skye was hurt. I should have protected her.” Judging the dark look in his eyes, it would haunt him for as long as he lived.
“It’s not your fault,” I said. “And I know you did everything you could.”
“Zack came after me because of what I did to him. If I’d just…let it go this wouldn’t have happened.”
“You don’t know that,” I said gently. “He was a psychopath.”
“Either way, Skye shouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
“Don’t do that to yourself, man. Things are out of our control sometimes.”
He shook his head. “I could have moved her to a better location. I could have warned her.”
“She was never in any danger. She put herself in it when she tried to protect you.”
“And I wish I had died instead of her getting hurt.” He said it with honesty and I believed him.
“Let’s just move on,” I said. “We can get through it as a family.”
He nodded. “We have to try.”
Silence filled the room. The sun had set so it was slightly dark. The lights were off so they wouldn’t distract Skye while she tried to rest.
“I’m sorry I didn’t ask your permission first. I just…got caught up. I do value your blessing. I would never marry your daughter unless I had it.”
He gave me a smile. “Cayson, you asked my permission to date my daughter. You told me what your intentions were with her. You had it then. You’re like a son to me, a knight in shining armor. Every father hopes their daughter ends up with a good man. And you’ve given that to me. I know she’ll be taken care of even after I’m dead and gone.”
&
nbsp; “Well, thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” he said.
“Did you ask Ryan’s permission before you proposed to Scarlet?”
“Actually, I did,” he said. “He’s practically a father to her.”
I nodded. “I guess I should have asked Roland too.”
“Roland loves you. There’s no need.”
“So…would it be okay if I moved in with her…?” I wasn’t sure how he would feel about this.
He shrugged. “Skye is a grown woman and she can do whatever she wants. You should ask her and not me.”
“But do I have your approval to do that?”
He smirked. “I just gave you permission to marry my daughter. You can do whatever you want, Cayson. Just make her happy, protect her, and love her. That’s all I ask.”
“Consider it done.”
“Are you guys going to stay in the city?” he asked after a pause.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Skye once told me she wanted to buy a house near you guys when we have our kids. She said she wants to be close to you.”
His eyes softened noticeably.
“But I know she loves the city, especially since her office is a two minute walk. And it’s close for me too.”
“You’re going to stay at the CDC then?”
“Yeah,” I said. “It gives me the ability to help people while allowing me to have a family. I work the same hours as Skye so we’ll always have time together.”
“You want some advice from a man who’s been married for so long?”
“Please.”
“Put your family first. The office can wait.”
“And that’s the secret to a healthy marriage?” I asked.
“Pretty much,” he said. “But I think the person who needs to learn this lesson is Skye. She hasn’t fully grasped it. She’s so ambitious and driven that it’s hard to get her to slow down sometimes. She’s always trying to prove herself even though there’s no one to prove anything to.”
“You do know your daughter well.”
He stared at his knuckles while he massaged them. “Well, she’s just like me.”
I smiled, knowing how true that was. “You got that right.”
“I couldn’t believe she ran into the room to help me,” he said as he shook his head. “There was blood everywhere and the gun was pointing in all different directions. Anyone would be scared to intervene. Normal people would just run and call the cops. But not Skye. She’s not scared of anything.”
“I don’t think that’s true,” I said. “I’m sure she was terrified—of losing you.”
A slight smile turned his lips. “My daughter saved my life. I’m glad to be here with my family.” His hand moved through Scarlet’s hair. “But I’m glad this is how everything turned out. If I lost them, I wouldn’t be on this earth anymore.”
I believed that. “I might not be either.”
He looked at me and didn’t question what I said.
“If you guys want to go somewhere more comfortable, I can watch her,” I offered. “I’ll be awake the whole time.”
He sighed. “So it begins…”
“What?” I asked.
“My daughter is yours now. It’ll be hard for me to let her go…”
“You never have to let her go,” I said. “I’m more than happy to share.”
He chuckled. “Believe me, when she’s your wife you’ll never share her with anyone.” His hand continued to move through Scarlet’s hair. “Ever.”
Chapter Seventeen
Skye
I woke up to pain in my shoulder. My eyes fluttered open and my hand automatically moved to the gauze that covered my wound. I felt the material in my hands, hoping everything was just the product of a nightmare.
Cayson grabbed my hand and pulled it down. “Are you in pain, baby?”
I nodded because I couldn’t speak. My throat was groggily.
“I’ll be right back,” he said. “Don’t touch it.”
“Okay…”
Cayson left the room and I closed my eyes again.
A minute later, the nurse arrived. She injected something into my IV and checked my vitals. Within a minute, the pain disappeared.
“Is that better?” Cayson asked as he sat down.
“Much,” I whispered. I tried to sit up but Cayson grabbed me and did everything for me. He hit the buttons on the bed and made the mechanism move it upright.
I pulled my hair out of my face and knew I looked hideous. I hadn’t washed my hair in days and I wasn’t wearing any make up. The gown I wore wasn’t flattering. And I had to pee in a bag.
“Do you need anything?” he asked, resting his hand on mine.
“No, I’m okay,” I said quietly. I turned to see Mom and Dad still sitting there. They hadn’t left my side in days. One of them would leave to shower and eat, and when they returned the other one left. But they were stuck to me like glue. Everyone else stopped by everyday. I always had visitors except when I was sleeping. “Shouldn’t you get back to work, Cayson?” I asked. “I’m just sitting here anyway.”
“Work can wait, Skye. You’re more important.”
“No, I’m not,” I said seriously. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“My boss said I could have as much time as I need,” he said. “And I’ve been working at night while you sleep.”
“Well, when do you sleep…?”
He shrugged. “On and off through the night.”
“Go home and get some real sleep, Cayson.”
“I will when you go home, which should be soon.” He ran his fingers through my oily hair.
I pushed his hand away. “Don’t touch me. I’m gross.”
“You aren’t gross,” he argued.
“So, when can I leave?” I asked as I turned to Dad.
“Soon,” he said. “But you won’t be working for a long time.”
“Why not?” I demanded.
“You need to do physical therapy to get that arm back to normal,” he said. “And you need to rest.”
“But I just sit at a computer all day.”
Dad shot Cayson a knowing look.
Cayson chuckled.
“What?” I said.
“Nothing.” Dad turned back to me. “You aren’t coming back to the office. That’s final.”
I sighed and looked away, knowing arguing would be pointless.
Someone knocked on the door. “I hope I’m not interrupting.” Ward came inside with a batch of flowers.
“Not at all,” Cayson said. “Just trying to convince Skye she needs to take a break from work.”
Ward chuckled. “Good luck with that.” He set the flowers on the table along with all the others then took a seat beside Cayson. “How are you doing?” He grabbed my hand and stroked his thumb across my knuckles.
“Good,” I said. “Just having a little bit of pain.”
He nodded. “I’m glad you’re okay. I was worried.”
“I’m fine.”
“I would have came earlier but Clementine—”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said immediately. “You did the right thing.”
He patted my hand then pulled away. He suddenly looked sad, borderline miserable. Then he turned to my dad. “I owe you an apology.”
Dad didn’t know why, judging the surprised look on his face.
“When Skye and I heard the gunshots we both came running. I was heading to Clementine because I had to know she was okay. Skye ran for the office and I could have stopped her. I should have stopped her. But…I went for Clementine. I’m sorry. This wouldn’t have happened if I grabbed Skye first.”
Everything happened so fast that afternoon that I never thought about it. When we were both running, I assumed Ward was running to Clementine. I didn’t expect him to do anything else.
“Ward, I don’t accept your apology,” Dad said.
What?
“Because you have nothing to apologize for,” Dad conti
nued. “You need to put your family first—always.”
Ward stared at the ground.
“If I were in that situation and Scarlet needed me, I would choose her in a heartbeat. You’re going to be a good father, Ward.”
Ward finally looked back at him. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. “ Dad gave him a smile. “Now stop feeling guilty. Skye is doing great. There was no harm done.”
“How is Clementine anyway?” I asked.
“Good,” he said. “She’s at home—eating ice cream.”
I chuckled. “I can’t wait until I’m pregnant.”
Cayson gave me a meaningful look.
“You eat ice cream all the time as it is,” Mom said with a laugh.
“Yeah,” I said. “But if I were pregnant I wouldn’t feel guilty about it.”
Cayson nudged Ward in the side. “Tell them the good news.”
“Now?” Ward asked.
“Yes,” I said. “What good news? We deserve some happiness around here.”
Ward shrugged. “Clementine and I know the sex of the baby.”
“Oh my god,” I said. “What is it? No, wait. I want to guess first.”
“I think it’ll be a girl,” Scarlet said. “With Ward’s height and Clemy’s good looks they’ll be models.”
“I think it’ll be a boy,” Sean said.
“I don’t know…” I couldn’t decide. “Maybe she’s having one of each.”
Ward laughed. “No, definitely not.”
“Fine,” I said. “I think it’s a boy.”
Ward looked at all of us. “Is that your final answer?”
“Just tell us,” I said impatiently.
“Okay,” he said. He took a long pause to draw out the tension. “It’s a boy.”
“Yay!” I clapped my hands and squealed. “He’s going to be so cute! Oh, I hope he has your eyes, Ward.”
“He’s going to be so beautiful,” Mom said. “I’m going to be great aunt.”
“I can teach him how to golf,” Dad said. “Cortland is terrible at it.”
“I’m glad you guys are excited,” Ward said. “Clementine and I are both thrilled. I’ve always wanted a son.”
“You’ll be an amazing father, Ward,” I said as I grabbed his hand.
“Thanks, Skye,” he said.
“And we’re going to be an aunt and uncle,” Cayson said. “We’re going to spoil that kid until he hates you, Ward.”