Page 604 of Lodestar

“Nervous, but happy.”

“That’s all right then. I schooled Seamus myself. He’ll be here soon with your corsage, and he’s got it down pat on how to present you so you can trust him to know what to do if you get nervous and forget.” Or I’d beat the shit out of him. “So just relax and have fun, okay?”

“I will.”

As I pulled away, I reached into my pocket and retrieved a box. She beamed a grin at me. “Thank you, Daddy.”

“You don’t know what’s in it yet,” I pointed out.

She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. You picked it so I know it’s given with love.”

That had me blowing out a breath.

Somehow, the precocious kid who knocked shit over without trying had become a thoughtful, intelligent, kind young woman, capable of breaking her father with a few words.

Silently, I handed her the box and as usual, Star’s timing was perfect because she slipped her arm around my waist.

“From both of us,” I croaked.

Star smiled up at me, her hand finding mine before she knotted our fingers together. “Love you,” she whispered.

“Love you too,” I mouthed.

“Oh, they’re beautiful,” Kat cried, unaware of the exchange.

I smiled at her as I cupped her cheek and pressed a kiss to the other one. “Just like you.” I gave a squeeze to Star’s fingers. “Ready?”

She bit her lip and handed Kat another jewelry box. “This was my mom’s, baby. We found it amid her things. I want you to have it.”

Kat’s eyes were wide, tears rimming her lashes as she opened the box to reveal a large diamond pendant that was surrounded by tiny sapphires.

There’d been many such pieces in Galena’s room at the Uvala Lapad palace, many trinkets that we’d brought back to the States once Star inherited Anton’s vast wealth, but out of them all, this was the one she’d earmarked for Kat from the beginning.

As I fastened the chain around her neck, I pressed a kiss to her temple. “Now, I have to see to something. I want your second dance, do you hear me?”

She nodded as she fumbled to put on the diamond earrings.

Star shot me a questioning look but I ignored it as I headed toward the door. She grabbed me at the last minute and tugged on the back of my tuxedo jacket.

“What ‘something’ do you have to see to?” she inquired.

I blinked at her. “I’m just going to threaten Seamus within an inch of his life not to let any boy around her longer than fifteen seconds.”

A smile danced on her lips. “I think he likes her.”

“I know he does,” I said grimly. “That’s why I know he’s the best man for the job.”

“We want him to be president. He can’t go around beating up boys for flirting with our daughter.”

I sniffed. “Who says he can’t?”

78

SEAMUS

TWO YEARS LATER

“Stop it,”Katina groused at my side. “This isn’t funny.”

---