Page 65 of Taking First

“You went to him?” He growls.

I shake my head. “No, but a friend of mine might have figured out how to get into his office. I should have asked, but you got a copy of the original. I hope you’re not upset people are going to think?—

He rolls his eyes. “Anyone I give a damn about knows who I am, so like I said, I don’t give a shit. I love her.”

“I’m already being seen as some scorned woman crazy to the people I don’t give a darn about, so I plan to tell anyone who asks that I didn’t tell you and?—”

“I’m not gonna let you do that.”

“You don’t get to make all the decisions, John Paul.” I place my hand over my heart. “She’s mine.”

He nods and then lifts a shoulder. A smile tugs at his lips for just a second. “Walking into church that very first time we attended, I was still angry that He took Dad, but when I saw you outside with a glove, throwing a ball up in the air and catching it over and over,” he holds his hand over his heart. “You’ve been mine since that day, and I’ve been yours.”

I hold out my pinkie. “Best friends forever.”

He links his with mine. “Best friends for always.”

I inhale a deep breath. “I need to ask for a favor.”

“Anything.”

“If we’re going the route of fighting together … York thinks it might be a good idea”—I scrunch my eyes shut for the next part—“if you and I get married in case he does try to have her removed from my custody. You being named as her father and us being married would give us a better chance of?—”

“Open your eyes, Whitley Mae.”

I open them one at a time. “In name only. I’ll sign a prenup. You being on the road, it won’t be weird that Nora and I are living with Popa B and Gram.”

Mischief plays in his blue eyes. “I have conditions.”

I roll my eyes, knowing exactly what he wants from me. “Fine, I’ll say it. Please.”

“That’s not it, but I like the way you’re thinking.”

“Okay, shush and tell me this condition.”

“When we say I do, I get to kiss you.”

My face starts to heat up. “Fine.”

“You’ll let me make decisions with you to keep you and our Nora safe.”

“Okay.”

“I won’t be around a lot, but I want you and Nora to live in the house when it’s finished, and I want your help in making plans for the rest of the expansion.”

“Only if I can pay some of the bills.”

“That’s fine, but when I’m home, we have to act like we’re a real couple. I want Nora to see us as her parents together. I know I can handle that. Can you?”

I nod. “And I have a condition. I mean, I’ll have more, but one right now.”

“It’s only fair. Go ahead.”

“We get married soon. Like, really soon. Like, before your meeting with Kevin. I want them to know we’re not messing around.”

“Like a little white chapel in Vegas soon?” he asks, clearly amused.

“I mean, yeah.”

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