Page 92 of Protector Daddy

“Holy crap. I bought some of my own.” She let out a semi-hysterical laugh. “I’ve been drinking it ever since you gave me some. Talk about a crazy happy accident.”

My heart was beating way too fast. “You really feel that way?”

“You know I do.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Should I make a fruit tart to bring to your mother’s? It won’t take very long. I put together a grocery delivery order and it can be here in forty-five minutes once I click deliver.”

From accidental babies we already wanted so much to fancy desserts. Seemed right about on target for us. “She’d probably appreciate it.”

“I would too,” Reagan said from the doorway. “And I can go pick up that order.”

“No, that’s not necessary,” I answered immediately. “It’s snowing again.”

“Hardly anything,” she protested. “I grew up in Buffalo. Believe me, I’m used to snow. Besides, isn’t the grocery store right in town?”

“But the streets up here are steep and could be icy.”

“We can go together,” Honey said brightly, giving me a quelling glance that very clearly told me I should hush.

So I hushed.

A few minutes later, the two of them bundled up and went to the store, Honey’s list in hand. And I sat on a stool at the counter and prepared to make one of the hardest phone calls of my life.

My mom answered on the third ring. “Hi, sweetpea. Don’t tell me you’re calling to cancel.”

“No. I’ll be there.” I straightened my shoulders. “All three of us will be there.”

“Oh, good. I’m so excited to meet Honey. Not that you’ve told me much about her but you know how town scuttlebutt is. Wait, all three? What three?”

“I have to tell you something hard, Mom. I’m sorry I’m telling you on the phone. And that I waited so long. I didn’t intend to. Just as the time passed there was no way to break the ice of the topic.”

“Have you and Honey been together longer than anyone knew?”

“Huh?”

“I thought maybe that’s what you didn’t know how to tell me. But you don’t have to worry about any of us judging what you felt you needed to do, sweetheart. She’s such a lovely girl and maybe you needed to keep her to yourself for a while—”

“Mom, no. Sheisa lovely girl. The best. She’s opened up my whole world in so many ways. But before Halloween, I was too blind to see what was right in front of my face.”

Oh, how I wished I’d just had this secret affair I’d wanted to hide away from the world. But the truth was so much thornier—and more painful.

“You’re still bringing her tomorrow? Please tell me you are. We all want to get to know her.”

“I am. You’ll all love her. I promise.”

“We don’t doubt it. Vee’s already been singing her praises.”

“I’m glad. I think you will too. I love her, Mom.”

“Capital L?”

She always asked her boys—and girl—that question. Capital L love or little l for just good time love. Not that her daughter had experienced that yet, at least that I’d heard. And it had been a damn long time since I had and never to this extent.

“All caps. Shouty caps,” I added, my mouth curving thinking of Care Bear’s favorite saying. I didn’t even know where she’d picked it up. Probably started out as a Travis phrase at some point. “I want to have a family with her. We’re already starting. I think.”

My mother gasped. “But Halloween was so recent. It’s going so fast.”

“When you know, you know.”

“I’m happy for you, pookie.” My mom let out a long girlish sigh.

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