Page 148 of Free to Fall

Uncle Phil winks. “Already planned on it since the poor guy’s been ordering in bulk.”

A shiver of something runs through my body knowing the flowers Liam’s been sending me have been made by my family. I beam at my titan haired aunt, who as usual, has her camera obscuring her face. “We all know Aunt Holly is going to be photographing the whole thing.”

Alison smiles at Cassidy. “I think it’s our job to get Prince Charming here on time.”

“Prince Charming. You mean, Liam?” I exclaim. Everyone’s eyes, including Emily’s, jerk in my direction as if I’ve lost my marbles. My voice is unsteady. “If he accepts me after all I’ve put him through.”

“Laura, do you not know how much that man is in love with you?” my mother shocks me by asking.

“I hoped. I mean, he’s been giving me space, but after yesterday ...” My voice dries up when I realize he’s been doing exactly what I asked.

Giving me space, loving me from afar, and trusting me to love Bailey. I smack my palm against my forehead. Liam’s been giving me everything while still reassuring me he loves me.

“What about getting him here under the guise of a father/daughter dance?” Holly pipes up.

My mother, aunts, and uncle fall on top of that idea immediately. My mother exclaims, “Oh, Laura. Do you remember your first dance with your father?”

Alison leans over and kisses the top of Kalie’s head. “Five. You all were five.”

Holly says dreamily, “It was kindergarten. They’re some of my favorite photos to this day.”

“I suspect you’re about to make two people feel like they’re living in their own fairy tale,” my mother speculates.

“She said she wanted to be a princess,” I remind her of one of Bailey’s “Summer of Fun” ideas we never got to cross off.

“No, Laura,” my mother corrects. “She wants the happily, because what did I say happens after?”

“The ever after,” I tell my mother.

“Only you’ll make it better than anything she ever could have imagined?”

“Exactly.” Because I love them both.

Chapter

Eighty

I shift back and forth while I wait for Laura to arrive with my daughter at the steps of Amaryllis Events.

Liam:

It’s today, right?

Laura:

Calm down, Liam. She’s almost there.

Liam:

But no one’s here. The doors are locked.

Laura:

You tried the front door?

Liam:

Of course, I did.

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