“About staying?”
“Yeah. ”
Jeff smiled and nodded. “I was so fucking happy that I almost kissed his ass. ”
I let out a laugh.
Gunner walked up and sat on the other side of me. “Heather just offered me four hundred dollars to tell her where you’re taking her on your honeymoon. ”
I snapped my head over to Gunner. “What? Are you kidding me?” I laughed. “That girl loves surprises, but she can’t ever be patient enough for them. ” I shook my head as I watched Heather, Ellie, and Ari all make their way over to us.
“Jesus H. Christ. How in the hell did we get so lucky with them?” Gunner asked.
Jeff and I just shook our heads.
“Hell if I know, but I’m sure glad we did. ” I said. I smiled as Heather came and sat down on my lap.
“I love you,” she whispered against my ear. “It’s almost time for our dance. ”
I looked into her eyes. “You want to know what song I picked, don’t you?”
She sighed and nodded. “Yes!”
“Oh, stop being such a brat, Heather. You told Josh he could pick the song. He won’t let you down. If he does, I’ll junk punch him,” Ari said.
I turned toward her. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ari. ”
She shrugged and winked at me. “Anytime, sweets!”
I saw my father walking to the middle of the dance floor with a microphone.
“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” He looked over toward Heather and me and smiled just a bit. “I’ve been told that the first dance as husband and wife is coming up, but another dance needs to be done first. ”
I felt Heather stiffen in my arms.
My dad made his way to us and looked down at Heather. “Heather, from the moment you stepped foot inside our world, I have loved you like a daughter. So much so that I’ve wanted to kick my own son in the ass when I thought he had hurt you in some way or another. ”
Everyone let out a laugh, and I hugged Heather tighter.
He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I could never, ever replace your father, and I would never want to. I feel it so deep inside of me that he would want you to have your father-daughter dance at your wedding. ”
When Heather’s body jerked just a little, I knew she was trying to hold back from crying.
My dad reached out his hand for Heather’s. “It would be my honor…”
She slowly stood up and reached for his hand as he handed me the microphone. When they started heading out toward the dance floor, she looked back at me. I felt like someone had just kicked me in the stomach. The look of pain on her face about killed me.
My dad said something to Heather, and she snapped her head up to him. Then, Faith Hill’s “There You’ll Be” started to play. I watched as Heather buried her head into my father’s chest and grabbed on to his shirt. I heard as Ellie and Ari started crying.
“This song was played at Heather’s parents funeral,” Amanda said to Brad.
Jesus…all I want to do is take away her pain. My sweet, beautiful girl.
I promise you…I’ll never let anyone or anything hurt her—ever. I’ll always love and protect your daughter. I promise.
I watched as my dad talked to Heather. She nodded once but kept her head buried in his chest. My heart started beating faster, and I felt my chest moving up and down. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I just let the tears fall.
Gunner put his hand on my shoulder.