The Daddy Box Set

Anna’s mouth dropped. “Oh my god,” she said and tears formed in her eyes again.

We took turns hugging people and telling them “thank you” when they congratulated us. The evening was perfect. It was everything I imagined it would be.

“So, you already knew when I called you? Why did you scream like that?” Anna asked her mom as we waited for the check.

“Well, I knew he was going to ask you, but I didn’t know you said yes until you told me,” Millie said.

I leaned into Anna. “I even asked your dad for permission when I first started planning this.”

“Seriously? How did you get his number?” she asked.

“Remember when I told you I took a trip to visit a possible new client?”

Her mouth dropped open. “You went to visit them?”

I nodded my head. “I discussed the whole thing with them. They both gave me their permission and said that my ideas sounded perfect for you.”

Anna leaned over and kissed me.

“Let me see the rock!” Ally said from her seat across from Anna.

Anna held up her hand.

“Holy rock. Good job, Justin,” Ally said.

“Thanks,” I smiled.

When dinner was finished, we made our way back to Anna’s house. We already had plans to move in together at the end of the month when my lease was up, so that was one decision already checked off the list.

“I can’t believe everything you did for me today,” Anna said after we put Margie to bed in her princess bed that Anna bought a few months back.

I gave her a kiss. “I wanted to do so much more, but funds and timing were both a little short.”

“This was perfect, Justin,” she said. “Thank you.”

Anna and I sat down on the couch. She put her head on my shoulder, and I held her left hand. We both stared at her ring.

“I hope you like it,” I said,

“I love it. And the necklace. They’re both perfect,” she said.

“You know, when Tammy passed away, I couldn’t even picture myself ever dating again. And then I started fighting, and I was having problems with my back muscles. I had appointments with three other massage therapists the day I met you,” I said.

“You did?” she sounded surprised.

“Yeah, but I canceled them after I met you. There was something about you that just made me want to get to know you better. Then, I had to make the hard decision of cutting our sessions out. They were too expensive, and I had other priorities. It hurt me to have to walk away from you like that, but then you approached me about your plan to play boyfriend. I couldn’t pass that up. It gave me the opportunity to play the role that I knew I already wanted. And it was then that I knew I was ready to move on, to date again, and possibly even get married again.”

I gave Anna a kiss.

“And now here we are,” she said and held up her hand.

“Yes. Here we are.” I gave her another kiss.

Margie came out of her room. “I can’t sleep,” she s

aid.

“Come here, sweetheart,” Anna said and grabbed a blanket from under her coffee table.