Page 68 of The Girl He Loves

Chapter 26

Wednesday Morning

Dax takesthe phone and sets it on the counter. He turns me to face him. “I have a solution for that if you’re up for hearing my next crazy idea.”

“Are you saying marrying me is crazy?” I hold out the ring to him, teasing that he could take it back. He takes it from me and slips it on my finger. It fits perfectly. I look at him surprised. Everything about the ring is…well, perfect. Even the simple design with the round stone.

“I had your mom’s help. She sent a collection of bride magazines that I hid in the closet. And I used one of the rings in your jewelry box to find your size,” he says, knowing my question without me having to ask it. “And no, not crazy in a bad way. Crazy in all the best ways.” With his hands on my hips, he pulls me to him. His hands go to my backside and cup my butt.

“Is this your solution? Sex in the kitchen?” Because I’m down for it.

“Nope, I want to adopt Tyler. I want to make Justin a deal that makes him walk away for good. Maybe that’s not the right thing to want, a dad to leave his kid, but he doesn’t deserve Tyler.”

I take his face between my hands and search his face. “Dax, are you serious?”

“Yeah, I want that kid to be mine. I desperately wanted this test to prove it, too.”

The kid in question shuffles into the kitchen and stops short when he sees us. “What’s going on? Why are you crying, momma?”

I point to my face. “These are happy tears, baby.”

Dax pulls out a kitchen chair and sits. He gestures to Tyler for him come. “I got bad news, buddy. Remember that plan we had to give your mom the ring?”

Tyler’s eyes go wide. “It was a secret.”

“Yeah, I know, but I had to blow the secret. I’m sorry.”

Tyler looks between Dax and me. “But does that mean we’re all going to live together forever? Or not?”

I kneel beside Tyler. “Are you okay with us living together forever? If we keep Dax?”

Tyler’s nods are emphatic.

“I want to stay with Dax forever, too,” I say.

Tyler leans into me and says in a soft voice, “I wish he was my dad.”

I wrap him in my arms and glance at Dax. “He will be baby. He doesn’t have to have the same last name to be your dad.” Explaining it to a child is beyond complicated. I don’t mention Dax’s suggestion of adoption because there’s no telling how Justin will react. But I want Tyler to know that a person doesn’t have to be biologically related to be a father.

I look at Dax again, “Let’s do it,” I say. “I’ll give him all my savings if he wants.” It’s bold and scary to ask a man to give up paternity rights to his child. But Justin never wanted to be Tyler’s dad anyway. I only hope one day Tyler will understand.

Dax reaches for his phone. “Are you sure?”

I nod.

Tyler says, “Can I have frozen waffles?”

“Yes, but you have to heat them up,” I say as my son pulls away and goes to the fridge.

“Do I have to go to school today?”

I roll my eyes. “Of course, you do.”

Dax reaches for his phone and makes a call. “Hi, this is Dax Griffin calling for Mr. Taylor. I was in his office two days ago asking about adoption. Please tell him to start the paperwork. Thank you.” He disconnects and puts the phone down. “Voicemail. I forgot it’s stupid early.”

I laugh. “You already talked to a lawyer?”

He nods. “Yeah, I might have wanted a miracle, but I wasn’t leaving it all to chance.”

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