Page 130 of Don't Call Me Daddy
“Someone once told me that things aren’t always black and white; sometimes, the solution is in the in-between. So, last night, after you fell asleep, I called my brother and offered him a new job. Roman agreed to oversee the US production while I focus on growing our international presence … starting in Romania.” He touches his finger to the tip of my nose, wiping a tear away.
I shake my head. “What? How? Are you serious right now? But I thought you’d want to be involved in everything … to make sure things are done to your standard …”
He shrugs. “That was the old me. The new Leo realizes that systems work more efficiently when there’s a diverse group sharing the responsibility, and we’ve built a team of dependable people. I can’t do it all on my own, and I don’t want to.”
“Oh my God, so this is real? This is really happening?”
He pulls out his phone to show me the boarding passes—two one-way first-class tickets to Romania. “I’m coming with you, and I’ll fly back and forth when I need to, but there’s nothing that could keep me away, and I couldn’t dream of asking you to give up this adventure for me.
“I love you, Ivy, and I’m in this. You lead the way, and I will move mountains to make sure I’m standing right beside you—that is, as long as youwantme there …”
I don’t wait for him to finish before I’m jumping in his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist. “Thank God, because I love you too. I was so afraid it was just me.”
I kiss him so deeply that everything around us falls away, and it’s just the two of us. He grips my ass, tightening his hold on me, and I can feel his enthusiasm growing more and more intense. I’m seconds away from climbing back into that car and letting him give me a proper apology for scaring me like that, but then he pulls away, breaking our kiss.
“It wasn’t just you. I’ve been in love with you ever since that night you had that asthma attack and you told me about your sister’s list. I was so scared, and I knew right then and there that I’d stop at nothing to help you check every single box. I was a goner long before I let myself admit it, but I didn’t want to impact your decision to leave. I didn’t want you to give this up for me. I only wish I’d thought of this plan earlier, so I didn’t have to suffer as the days ticked by way too damn fast.”
I press my forehead to his, finally feeling the knot in my stomach disappear as the formerly sunny sky grows darker and rain clouds fill the sky around us.
Leo carefully sets me down, grabbing both suitcases from his trunk. He nods his head toward the terminal. “Come on, baby girl. Let’s go check off that last box.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice as I skip a step to keep up with his quick pace, not even trying to take my bag because I know he won’t let me carry it anyway.
“And then what will I do after I finish the list? How am I supposed to know what happens next?”
He pauses his steps and turns to look at me. “Then, we’ll make a new one, filled with all the things we want to do together. We’ll write our own dreams, and I will follow you to the ends of the earth to make sure you get to experience every single one.” He quirks a brow. “How does that sound?”
“Perfect.”
EPILOGUE
Leo
Three Years Later
I trace my thumb over the scar on her leg that’s almost identical to mine, the scar that, thanks to Ivy, I’ve now grown to love.
I don’t know why I’m so anxious. This night isn’t about me; it’s all Ivy.
She looks so fucking gorgeous tonight. She’s wearing a floor-length fitted red gown with a deep slit that reveals her shapely legs… which is why I’m struggling to keep my hands to myself.
Fuck, this woman is incredible, and with every day that passes, I find myself falling more and more in love with her. I’ve never met someone with so much spunk, like her soul is a fragment of the actual sun. It’s an addictive, magnetic energy that warms even the coldest hearts, and no one can resist her charm.
It’s why she’s being recognized tonight as the youngest recipient ofGlint Magazine’s 30 Under 30 Most ImpactfulEntrepreneurs award, and I don’t think anyone who knows her is the least bit surprised.
It turns out, Ivy has quite the knack for planning and organizing events despite her chaotic mannerisms and impulsivity—or maybebecauseof it. It’s like she sees every possibility where most people can only see a few. She isn’t afraid to dream big or take chances. She isn’t afraid of looking dumb or failing for that matter, and she certainly isn’t afraid to roll up her sleeves and take on the job that everyone else thinks they’re too good to do.
I fell in love with her all over again, watching her grow into herself in Romania. My headstrong, hardworking girl started out at the bottom—she was literally the designated dog-shit cleaner—and despite my begging, she refused to let me make a call to get her a better placement. She insisted she needed to do her time and learn everything she could. She worked every entry-level position she was assigned with a sense of pride and respect and inspired everyone around her to do the same.
After she fulfilled her one-year contract in Romania, we moved back to the states, and I’m happy to say we now both call Ashford Falls home. I paid off her mother’s medical bills, and–with Ivy’s permission–had her transferred to the next town over, to the finest inpatient living facility in the state. Their relationship is still pretty rocky, but the time and space Ivy’s had to chase her dreams has helped relieve some of the tension between them.
Now her dad’s a whole other story.
As soon as word got out to the media about our whirlwind relationship, Mr. Lane didn’t hesitate to reach out… or should I say, hold hishandout… I stood by my strong, heart-of-gold girlfriend when she declined his every request to reach her, and I supported her when she ultimately told him not to contact her anymore. I had to refrain from the urge to tell him thatI’mher daddy now… There are some people who deserve our forgiveness, and some that don’t. I’m proud of Ivy for respecting herself and knowing when to draw those boundaries.
It’s why she’s here tonight, why she’s been honored with such a prestigious award, and only one of the countless things I love about her.
Her ability to connect with everyone she meets with curiosity and a desire to really see them is her secret weapon—that and her dedication to doing a good job. It’s as if she has the Midas touch, transforming every project she’s worked on into gold, with her warmth and showstopping smile.
