Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29845 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 149(@200wpm)___ 119(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
“Thank you,” Cassidy answers, squeezing my hand under the table.
“Wine or champagne?” the waitress asks.
“Champagne, of course.”
We drink our champagne and sample the seven-course meal as it’s served while Cassidy watches the crowd and points out all of the faces she recognizes from the movies and TV. She’s so excited and I’m ecstatic to see her having such a good time.
“Dance with me, baby.”
“I don’t know how to dance.” Her eyes widen, and she’s blinking rapidly.
“Don’t worry, I’ll lead.” I stand up and hold my hand out to her.
She takes my hand and I lead her onto the dance floor. I take her in my arms and we begin to sway to the music. She smells like vanilla candy and feels like heaven in my arms. I don’t ever want to let her go. We dance through three more songs and return to our table.
“Come outside with me, baby girl. I want to talk to you, and it’s too loud in here.”
She takes my arm and I lead her to the balcony. The city skyline is in perfect view under the light of the full moon, and the weather is absolutely perfect.
“This is quite a view.”
I pull her toward me and gaze into her eyes. “Yes, this is quite a view.”
“You always make me feel like I’m the prettiest girl in the world.”
“You should because you are.”
She looks down at her feet and I take both of her hands in mine.
With a smile, I drop to one knee and catch her gaze. “Baby girl, from the moment I first saw you, I knew this was where we’re gonna end up. When I claimed you as mine, it wasn’t just for a few years. This is forever, and I want to spend the rest of my life looking into those eyes. Will you marry me?”
Her mouth hangs open, hands on her chest. “I was not expecting this. For real?”
“Yes, baby. For real.” I take the ring box out of my jacket pocket, open it, and show her the diamond ring inside.
“Yes, Daddy. Yes, I’ll marry you,” she says as her eyes fill up with tears.
I slide the ring on her finger and rise to my feet, taking her in my arms.
“I love you, my sweet girl.”
“I love you too, Daddy.”
EPILOGUE
CHRIS
“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Cassella. It’s a pleasure to have you with us this evening,” the headmaster greets us as we enter the halls of Greenway Academy.
Greenway is one of the most prestigious preparatory schools in the country, and I refuse to settle for anything less for my girl, Camille.
“Didn’t I tell you this was the right call? She’s only in first grade and she’s already at the top of her class,” I say as I take Cassidy by the arm and walk with her to the auditorium.
“I know you’re right. It’s just that this is so expensive and there’s so much academic pressure.”
“Our kids are going to have the best. I can afford it and I will spare no expense for them.”
Who would have thought something like that would ever come out of my mouth? In less than a decade, everything has changed. Birthday parties, Christmas trees, and school plays are some of the biggest highlights of the year for me now. Best of all, I still have the most beautiful little girl in the world to share it with me.
“I want to thank you, Daddy,” Cassidy says as we find two seats in the front row.
“For what, baby girl? What did I do?”
“I know it was hard for you to move into the manager position at the casino. Let’s face it, you’re not exactly a nine-to-five, clock-punching man. But, being free to come to things like this is everything. I remember all those nights when you had to slip out of bed and creep out of the house because duty called and you didn’t want to wake us. I’m so happy that’s all over now.”
“I told you, baby, anything for you.”
“Still, thank you, Daddy. This means so much to Camille.”
The lights dim, and the performing arts instructor appears center stage to announce the annual winter program. The audience of proud parents applauds, and I start recording. As the curtain opens, I see my sweet daughter in a white gown with her hair done up in a bun.
She and the other children turn around to show off the wings they made out of feathers and wire. Nothing could be more fitting than for my baby to be playing an angel. She’s so much like her mother, always rescuing bees and caring for her little brother. She even dotes over me like somehow it’s her job to make sure I always have a smile on my face.
I can’t stop grinning as I watch my child sing every line of the songs she’s been rehearsing endlessly for the past two weeks. That might just be the one thing she’s gotten from me. Her tenacity.