I Never Expected You (I Never 2)

“To Zach.”

We all clink our glasses together, and I quickly down the shot. Okay, with a little liquid courage I can do this. I clear my throat.

“Brian, you’ve known me my whole life. You’ve watched me grow up and know that sometimes I do things without thinking.”

That earns a laugh out of both my dad and Brian. Okay, maybe I do things without thinking more than just sometimes.

“But this time, I have given this a lot of thought. Your daughter means more to me than anything in the world. I didn’t think I could love someone as much as I love her. Wow, I sound as sappy as Emmett did.” I let out a nervous laugh. “You know, he once told me that when I met the girl, she was gonna knock me on my ass, and shit, if he wasn’t right. She is the other half of me; she makes me be a better man. With your permission, of course, I want to ask Haylee to marry me.”

Everything about his girl makes me want to be a better man.

I look back and forth between my dad and Brian, almost expecting one of them to hand the other money just like they had when we had announced we were dating, but neither do. Both are sporting a happy smile.

My eyes meet Brian’s. I see compassion, the same I see in his daughter. Shit, I could stare into them forever—Haylee’s, not Brian’s, of course. And that’s exactly what I plan to do.

Brian places his hand on my shoulder, giving it a fatherly squeeze, his eyes now filled with unshed tears.

“Zach, you put a smile back on my baby girl’s face. You make her happy.”

We both turn and look back in the direction of the table, where we see Haylee laughing, not seeing us, or at least she doesn’t acknowledge us.

“You have always been a son to me, and I would be honored to make that official.”

“What are you saying?”

“Maybe we should give that diploma back.” My dad is full of jokes; all these years later, they’re still not funny.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. I just want to make sure I understand. This is kind of a big deal.”

“Zach, of course you have my blessing to ask her. I just ask one thing…”

Before he can finish, I feel arms wrap around me from behind, and I know those arms. Our conversation halts as to not give away what we were talking about.

“Mom says we can’t order till you guys are back, and I’m starving.”

With our hands interlocked, I run my ring finger over hers where one day soon she will wear my ring, I hope, letting the whole world know she is mine.

“Sorry, sweetheart, we were having a celebratory drink with Zach. We won’t keep you waiting anymore.”

“What was that all about?” Haylee leans on my arm as we follow dad and Brian back toward the table.

“Oh, you know.” Quick, think of something. “They were asking me about the house.”

Kyler and I are packing up the apartment this weekend and heading to the suburbs just outside of the city, where we found a three-bedroom rancher. The house is a middle ground between Kyler’s and my jobs. I was offered a full-time job at the sports marketing firm I interned at last year, while Kyler will be working as a marketing manager at the mayor’s office.

Haylee still has one year left of school, but somehow, I was able to convince her to say yes to moving in with us. Let’s hope that I can get her to say yes on one other question. The third bedroom, we are going to convert into an office/guest room. It will be nice to have space for overnight guests in case any of our parents visit and want to stay over.

“I can’t believe I’m moving in with you crazy assholes!”

“Oh, please. You pretty much live with us anyway. This will just be official. And all of your stuff will be kept in one spot instead of hauling it back it and fort

h between there and your dorm.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She rolls her eyes at me.

Once back at the table, I pull out her chair, but before she can sit down, I lean down and whisper in her ear so only she can hear, “You better watch it, baby girl, with the eye rolling. You may get a spanking for that later.”

She turns her head. “Maybe I’m counting on it.”