Page 18 of Thanksgiving Daddy's Girl
“Do tell,” I reply.
“First, I’m going to be taking a step back at the company,” he announces. “I won’t be dealing with all the day to day operations and will be hiring somebody who will. I guess I’m going to be semi-retiring.”
“Cheers, mate,” Myles says, raising his glass. “It’s about bloody time.”
“But wait, there’s more,” I say. “I can see it in your eyes, Dad.”
“I never could fool you, pumpkin.”
“No, you could not. So, what is it?”
He and Alyssa glance at each other again and it’s impossible to feel the love that crackles between them. It makes my heart swell all over again.
“Alyssa here has talked me into taking a cruise around the world,” he says. “Once I get the situation at the company sorted out?—”
“Which will be within the next few weeks,” Alyssa says. “I’m not going to let this old dog drag his feet too long.”
“Good for you, girl,” I say.
My dad smiles. “Once that’s squared away, we’ll be boarding a ship, and we will be traveling the world. We’ll be gone several months, I think.”
I clap my hands and laugh. Myles raises his glass again.
“Good for you, Howie. Nobody deserves some time to relax and enjoy their success more than you,” he says. “And I couldn’t be happier that you have such an amazing woman to share that adventure with. Here’s to you both.”
Alyssa leans into my dad and he wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “So, that’s my news,” he says then turns to me. “And what is it exactly you’ve been keeping in all night.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
He arches an eyebrow. “I may not be able to fool you, sweetheart. But you can’t fool me either. I can see that you have some news yourself. Out with it.”
I glance at Myles who grins and offers me a shrug. We had decided we were going to wait to share the news, not wanting to upstage our Thanksgiving, but clearly, I’ve not done a good enough job hiding it.
“He knows you well, love,” Myles says.
Biting my bottom lip, I slip the ring out of my pocket and slide it on. Holding my hand below the table, I stare at it in wonder for a moment.
“Come on,” my dad says. “Don’t keep us all in suspense.”
I raise my hand without a word and let them see the ring. Alyssa claps her hands over her mouth and my dad sits back, his eyes fixed on my hand.
He looks me in the eye. “Is that?—”
“It is,” I say. “Myles proposed a couple of nights ago and I said yes.”
Alyssa squeals and rushes around the table and pulls me into a tight embrace. My dad comes around and shakes Myles’ hand then hugs him warmly.
“I admit, when this all first went down last year, I was skeptical?—”
“You were an asshole about it,” Myles said.
My dad nods and laughs. “I was. True enough. But since then, I’ve realized that all I want is for my little girl to be happy. And you, my friend, make her happier than I’ve ever seen her before. You’re a good man, Myles Flannigan, and I’m proud to have you marry my daughter.”
“Thank you… Dad.”
My father punches Myles in the arm and laughs. “If you ever call me that again, I’ll cut off your balls and throw them in the ocean.”
Myles laughs. “Fair enough.”
