Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78542 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Reluctantly, I let her go. She digs around in the diaper bag and pulls out the envelope. I’d forgotten about it. She comes back to the couch, takes her rightful seat on my lap, and hands it to me.
I kiss her shoulder, wrapping an arm around her waist, holding her tightly as I open the letter with my free hand and start to read. With each word, I feel both anger and happiness. Anger that this man could toss that sweet little girl away so easily, but happiness that he’s out of our lives. Ada will only ever know me as her father.
“He doesn’t know what he’s missing,” I say, dropping the legal document to the couch that outlines how Derrick is signing away all of his rights to Ada.
“Yeah,” Stella whispers.
My mind is all over the place as I process what I just read, but it keeps coming back to one thing. Ada is mine. “Stella?” I wait for her to turn to look at me over her shoulder. “I want to be her daddy.”
She stares at me slack-jawed and in shock. When I don’t say anything else, a sob falls from her lips. “I love her, Stella. I love you both with an intensity I didn’t know I was capable of. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I saw the two of you in that diner today.”
“She loves you.” Stella turns so that she’s straddling my lap. Her arms wrap around my neck, her face burying there as she cries. I hold her tightly, giving her time to let go. I’m here to pick her up when she’s ready. “She called you Da Da.”
“She did,” I say as she lifts her head to look at me. Her face is red and blotchy, and her eyes are red as well.
“That’s a big deal, Maverick. I can’t just let her call you that or encourage it. Not until I know this is forever.”
“Oh, baby, this is forever.”
I can see the worry in her eyes. I get it. She’s a mom first, and taking care of her little girl and protecting her and her heart are her number one priorities, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Marry me.”
Her entire body stills. “What?” she murmurs.
“This isn’t your official proposal. I know better than that, but consider it a pre-proposal.”
She laughs. “That’s not a thing.”
“This is our life, angel. We make it what we want it. What I want is for you to know that I love you and your daughter. I want you to be my wife and her my daughter. One day in the very near future, I’ll ask you the right way. I’ll drop to one knee and present you with a ring, but until then, I need you to know that’s where this is going for me.”
“Maverick.” My name is a whisper on her lips.
“I love you. Marry me.”
“My pre-proposal answer is yes.” Tears swim in her eyes, but her smile tells me another story. Not one of sadness, but one with tears of happiness and love, and our future growing old together.
I whoop out a yell and grip her in a fierce hug. Ada cries over the monitor and I wince. My yell must have woken her up.
“I’ll get her.” Stella climbs off my lap and heads down the hall to my room to grab her.
“Mom, Mom,” Ada sniffles.
“Hey, sweetheart. Did we wake you up?” Stella asks softly. Her voice trails off, so I know they’re on the way back to the living room.
“Hey, Bug,” I say when they get close.
“Da Da,” Ada says. She doesn’t reach for me, but that’s okay. Her tiny hands are already gripping my heart.
“I’m sorry I woke you up. Mommy made me very happy,” I explain.
Stella sits on the couch next to me, and I snuggle my girls close. This is my future, and I can’t fucking wait to see what comes next.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
Stella
So much has changed for Ada and me in the last week. Last Friday, Derrick dropped a bomb on me. In a way, so did Maverick. He loves us. I knew that, but I didn’t know it went as deep as it does. It’s been eight days, and he’s never let a single one pass without telling us both. He’s Da Da to Ada now. His face lights up every single time she says it.
I will forever be grateful for whatever higher power put this man in my path that day, or us into his, however you want to look at it. Maverick calls me angel, but let’s be honest, he’s our angel.
As far as Derrick goes, the document was legit. Maverick and I took it to Deacon, and he confirmed. Derrick has no rights where Ada is concerned. I feel sorry for him. He’s missing out on knowing and loving the most amazing little girl. I think that one day, he’s going to realize what he gave away so carelessly.