Page 118 of The Enemy Face Off

He chuckles. "Hey, sweetie."

"Hey, Dad."

Her eyes are still glued to the page. It so reminds me of myself at that age.

"Josie."

She looks up. "Sorry. Oh, Beth. Hi!"

"Hi yourself."

"Can you read me a story please?"

I glance at Milo, and he gives me a nod.

"Sure. I'd love to," I say, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

I expect Milo to join me on the other side, but instead, he says, "I might leave you ladies to it."

"Oh."

"If that's okay?"

"Yeah, of course." I glance at Josie and smile. "We don't need boys, do we?"

"Boys are the worst."

Milo laughs and gives us a wave before slipping out the door.

I start reading her a story and after a few minutes, her eyelids grow heavy. She lets out a yawn, and right before she falls asleep, she murmurs, "I love my daddy."

It's so sweet. I press a kiss on her forehead and think to myself,Yeah, I love him, too.

22

Milo

We're standing at the back of one very crowded bookstore. It seems as if half of Comfort Bay has come out to Beth's sister's book signing today.

I haven't seen her yet, but I'm nervous. Not because she's a hugely popular and bestselling author—although that would be intimidating enough on its own—but also because she's the first person from Beth's family that I'm meeting.

It's a big step.

But I'm ready, and more importantly, so is Beth. She's never introduced a boyfriend to her family before, and I'm honored to be the first.

Just like I'm honored to have been her first in another special, intimate way.

I honestly wasn't expecting to end our anniversary afternoon making love to Beth in her house last month, but I sure as heck ain't complaining.

It wasn't just a physical thing, our souls truly connected, and ever since, my feelings for her have only intensified.

I always thought that when you fell in love with someone, that was it. Your feelings were capped. But I'm learning that love is a bottomless cup, you can just keep filling it up and it never overflows. Just when I think I can't love her anymore, I do.

I have to keep reminding myself that our relationship is still so new. We may have known each other for over a year, but technically, we've only been together a short while.

But it doesn't feel new to me.

I was smitten with her the first night we met.

---