Page 33 of Till Cupid Do Us Part

“Are you trying to say that you believe in fate?You?”

“Is that so hard to believe?”

“Honestly, yeah. You’re a hard-ass.”

“The life I have now makes it impossible not to believe in some sort of higher power, Travis. Too many good things happenin’ at once usually doesn’t come coincidently.”

“You’re serious about marrying her? Divorce isn’t an option this time?”

I stiffen, immediate refusal building on my tongue. “Not a chance in fuckin’ hell.”

“Then . . . yeah. You don’t need my approval for shit, but you can have it. This is still really weird, though. I’m not going to call her mom or let her boss me around. And I swear to god, I never want to see anything like what I did in the bar again. I’ll take my approval back right quick.”

“You’re bein’ serious?” I ask, disbelief clinging to my words.

He clears his throat. “Don’t make it weird.”

“I’m just double-checkin’. I wasn’t expectin’ you to agree already. Marryin’ someone isn’t somethin’ to be taken lightly.”

“I know. You’re right about giving Junie the chance to have a stable family. If I couldn’t have one, I’m glad she can. Even though this still isn’t easy for me to understand, I’m not hard-headed enough to ignore the honesty in your words. You wouldn’t be here asking me for permission to do this if you weren’t serious about it,” he explains.

“I’m sorry, Travis. For failing to be the father you deserved growin’ up and for breakin’ your trust with Ivy. I appreciate you givin’ it a chance, at least.”

“Like I said, it’s been a year. A lot can change for someone in that time. Including someone like me.”

“I’m proud of you. Not for givin’ this a chance, but for takin’ the time to grow. I just want you to know that I’m here if you ever need anythin’.”

He clears his throat. “Thanks.”

“We’ll be home tomorrow night. You’re welcome to come over anytime you want to see your sister,” I offer.

“Alright. I’ll text you. Are you asking her to marry you before you come back?”

“That’s the plan.”

“How are you doing it?”

I know I should end the call before I push my luck too far and Ivy comes looking for me, but having him ask these things is not something I’m willing to pass up. I’ll take every little crumb of interest he shows me with my hands open despite the consequences.

“I knitted her somethin’.”

“What?”

“Yeah. I taught myself.”

“Damn,” he drawls.

“You knitted me something?” Ivy asks, scaring the shit out of me.

My hold on my phone slips, and it goes tumbling to the ground. I flinch when it clatters screen down. Travis’s voice calls out, but his words are undecipherable.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were interested in knitting? I’d have helped you,” she scolds teasingly. Looking at the phone, she cocks her head. “Was that Travis?”

Suddenly, the nerves that I had while waiting for this moment poof into thin air. With approval from my son and the call still connected, I let loose a laugh and say fuck it.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned while being with Ivy, it’s that there’s no time like the present.

And now seems like a pretty great time to ask her to marry me.

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