Page 113 of Sugar and Skulls

“So, you don’t want him dead?”

He reaches over and grabs my hand. “No. Because he makes my baby girl happy.”

I let out a relieved sigh and pick up my fork. “Oh, good.”

Digging in, I forget all about Dirk. My dad is a good cook and Dirk and I never did eat our supper last night. I’m starving. My dad watches me chow down, amusement dancing over his handsome face.

When I’m finished I push my plate to the side and lean back in my chair, rubbing my hand over my belly. “That was amazing. Thanks, dad.”

Just then, Katie bursts through the door in a bright blue sundress. “Dad, Dirk says he’s ready!” she yells. When she sees us sitting at the table she bounds towards us, curls bouncing over her eyes.

“Jesse!” She wraps her arms around my neck, squeezing me tight.

“What are you doing here little miss?” I kiss her on the cheek as she pulls away.

She looks at Bill her face turning pink. “I messed up Jesse’s surprise didn’t I?” she asks him sadly.

He picks her up and sets her on his knee. “You didn’t mess anything up. This is perfect, now we can tell her together.” She claps happily at this.

“Tell me what?” I ask suspiciously.

He nudges Katie in the ribs. “Go on, you can tell her.”

“Today is your wedding day!” she exclaims throwing her arms high in the air. “Ally and I get to be flower girls.”

My mouth falls open.

She whispers something in our dad’s ear before bouncing back out the way she came.

When I don’t say anything, my dad turns to me in concern. “Jesse? This is what you wanted isn’t it?”

I nod, dumbfounded. “He…he told me you said no.”

My dad flashes me a white, toothy smile. “I said he couldn’t marry you in Vegas.”

Oh.Oh.

That asshole let me believe my dad said no to us getting married.

He chuckles. “My baby girl deserves better than to be carried off by a cave man in the dead of the night. She deserves flowers, friends and family.”

My heart melts as I watch my dad’s eyes soften as he speaks. “Oh, dad.”

“I’ll never get tired of hearing you call me that.”

“And, I’ll never get tired of saying it.”

He stands and pulls me with him. He hugs me tight. “I brought you a dress and your girly makeup and things. Go get yourself prettied up. I’ll be right here waiting.”

I hurry upstairs putting on the white sundress he brought for me. It’s beautiful and simple. I love it.

When I walk downstairs my dad stands from the couch. I stop in front of him. He swipes at his eyes. “You’re making us all soft.”

“Maybe all of you were already soft.”

He guffaws at this. He hands me a bouquet of wildflowers and then tips his elbow out for me to take. I wrap my hand around the soft, worn leather of his Skull’s jacket. He looks down at me. “Ready?”

I nod, thinking to myself I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was ten years old.

---