“What about you, duchess?” Easton asks Parker.
“I’m done. I’ll look over my notes for my history test again in the morning.”
“Paisley, will you come upstairs with me? I want to show you the board I made for ideas for prom dresses,” Parker asks her sister.
“Whoa. Hold up now. What’s this talk about prom?” Easton leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, giving his middle daughter a look that lets her and everyone else in the room know he’s not impressed.
“Dad, come on. I’m a sophomore, and Tommy Holcomb is going to ask me.”
“Who is this Tommy that you speak of, and how do you know he’s going to ask you if he hasn’t yet? And, exactly, you’re a sophomore. It’s a junior-senior prom,” he reminds her.
“Yes, but underclassmen can get asked by an upperclassman.”
“How old is he?”
“He’s a junior. He’s sixteen.”
“Is he going to ask me for permission?” he asks.
“Dad.” Parker rolls her eyes. “It’s prom, not a wedding proposal.” Parker turns to look at Paisley. “You’d think he would be ready for this. I’m number two.”
“Duchess, a father is never ready to let his daughters go freely with a boy, no matter the age.”
“Dad, not all guys are assholes,” she challenges him.
“Duchess,” he warns.
“Fine,” she groans.
“Come on, Parker. Let’s go look at those dresses.” Standing from the couch, Paisley bends down and kisses me quickly. “I’ll be right back,” she tells me before letting Parker tug her upstairs to look at prom dresses.
“I guess this is what I have to look forward to,” I say before I think better of it.
Easton’s head whips toward mine. “Something you need to tell me?” he asks.
“I love her.”
He stares at me, his gaze never wavering.
“One day, I’m going to marry her. And we’ll have kids. I assume if we have a daughter or daughters, they’ll be like Paisley and her sisters. At least I hope they are.”
“Oh, my,” Larissa says, coming into the room.
“Queen.” One word and she goes to him, sitting on his lap.
“When is this happening?” Easton asks.
“I’ll be sure to come to you before I do it.” I’ll ask for his permission. Not because I need it, but because I know it’s important to him and to her. I want him to like me. If he doesn’t give his blessing, it’s not going to stop me from asking her.
“You want kids, Cameron?” Larissa asks.
“Yeah.” I smile. “I grew up as an only child, so I’d like a few,” I tell them honestly.
“Being a father and a husband are my two greatest accomplishments in life. My girls”—he smiles at his wife—“they’re what’s important.”
“You’re a lucky man, Easton.”
He nods. “Damn right I am,” he says as Paisley comes back into the room.