Gramps laughs boisterously. “I’m not patient either, Lennie.” Presley strides over to stand next to him, resting her hand on his arm.
“Gramps, can you bemyGramps too now that I’m moving into Jason and Lennie’s house?” she asks so tentatively I can practically see the nerves radiating off her. “I don’t have a Gramps. I love my grandma a lot, and she can be Lennie’s grandma too, but I want to have a Gramps.”
“I would love to be your Gramps, Presley,” Gramps voice is choked up, and I swear I can see a hint of a tear in his eye. “Lennie’s Grandma Nikki and Grandpa Richard, as well as Jane and Gabriel will be your grandparents too. Soon, you’ll have so many grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins that you won’t know what to do with it.”
Fallon covers her mouth, covering the wide smile settled on her lips. I pull her across my small office and into my arms. Her back is to my front, and I lean down, my mouth brushing the shell of her ear. “They’re your family too, you know.”
She nods, leaning her head back onto my chest. “Thank you for making me a part of it.”
“Thank you for being a part of it,” I reply, kissing her cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you more,” she responds.
I shake my head, whispering in her ear, “Not possible.”
The girls continue to talk with Gramps and Thomas all about the upcoming move. Thomas even offers to take the girls in his patrol car for a ride with Arson someday.
Everything is falling into place, and I’m more settled than I ever have been.
FALLON
9 Months Later
Ilook around our new house. We’ve been here for over a week now, and I’m finally starting to get settled. It took a lot longer than we would have liked to find a place we all loved and felt like could be our home, and ironically, it’s only a mile away from Jase’s parent’s house. It will be nice to be so close to them, as well as Marley’s parents, Jane and Gabriel. My mom is only fifteen minutes away, and is already planning nights she can come have sleepovers and spend time with the girls.
Jason’s arms wrap around me from behind as I take in our bedroom. He let me have creative freedom over the bedroom. Of course I included him in the process, but he really let me do whatever I want.
The house is old, and still has the beautiful hardwood flooring. I got a gorgeous rug to go in the room, and painted the walls a soft cream, giving the room some warmth, while also making it easy to match things if I ever want to switch it up. Our bed is covered in a fluffy creamduvet and all the accent and throw pillows I could ever want, a few of them in different colors to give the room a bit of a pop.
“Presley has declared that her room is officially done,” Jason murmurs. “And my back hurts.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, turning in his arms to kiss him. “If it makes you feel any better, so does mine.”
“It does.” He bends down, groaning softly and kissing me. “I could flop down on the bed right now and fall asleep.”
I hide my grimace. “I’m all on board for you taking a nap, but… can you shower first? You’re kinda sweaty. And you still have paint all over your arms. You’ll probably leave a man-shaped stain on the bed if you climb in now.”
Jason groans. “I know I have to, but the thought of showering is exhausting.”
“You’re being a little dramatic.”
“Can you blame me? Our daughters are entering their teen stage, I swear. They kept making me rearrange things in their rooms until it was perfect, and then it wasn’t after five minutes.”
“You’re such a sucker for them. I would have made them leave it.”
“Can you blame me?” he questions with a raise of his brow. “I love them so much it hurts. I’d do anything to make them happy.”
“And that’s why you’re the best dad.” I lean onto my tip-toes to give him another kiss. I reach around and swat his ass. “Now, go take a shower. You stink.”
Jason nuzzles his sweaty forehead into my neck. I squeal and squirm, trying to get him off me. “Jason!” I cry. “You’re gross!”
“Yeah, Dad is gross!” Lennie yells fromher room down the hall. It reminds me of a memory of a similar conversation so many months ago.
Presley also chimes in. “Dad, you’re gross!”
Jason freezes, and I do too. Presley has never called JasonDadbefore. Is he okay with it? AmIokay with it? It doesn’t take me more than a second to realize that yeah, I’m more than okay with it. Jason is Presley’s dad in all the ways that matter. Sure, we’re not married or even engaged. We haven’t really talked about it other than knowing it will happen someday. But knowing my daughter considers Jason a dad,herdad, is something I will always cherish.
“A-are you okay with that?” Jason tentatively asks as he pulls away from my neck. His forehead is wrinkled in concern, eyes full of worry.
