Page 22 of Dan

“Well, now. Aren’t you the prettiest little thing? Well done, Dan. Well done.”

“Thank you, Great-grandma. Finley, this is Irene Robicheaux, my great-grandmother.”

“You’re beautiful,” said Finley. “I mean, they all look just like you and Matthew. Your husband, Matthew, I met him. Your eyes have an unusual shade of brown and gold. It’s fascinating. And your skin is like porcelain.” Irene nodded at the young woman, chuckling.

“You are a prize,” smiled Irene. “I always knew you’d pick a winner, Dan.”

“Your eyes are just like hers,” smiled Finley. Dan laughed, shaking his head.

“Well, when your brilliant mind can figure that one out, let me know. My father, Ryan, is actually the biological nephew of my grandmother, Ella. He was adopted by Ella and Antoine, but he’s not biologically a Robicheaux. Yet, there he is. Looking just like one.”

“Oh, that’s easy,” smiled Finley. “It’s genetic similarities and biological proximity. In short, you got lucky. You already had some genetic properties that were similar to Antoine’s, then simply by being around him, you adopted some of his mannerisms, which only enhances the impression that you’re his, biologically, I mean.” Ryan smirked at Antoine.

“I always knew I was yours,” he laughed.

“Yeah, but it took us a while to get there, didn’t it?” he grinned.

“It did, Dad. But we got there.”

“Why can’t I have a relationship like that with my father, or any father?” asked Finley. Dan hugged her, kissing her again.

“Pick one. Anyone here would gladly step into the role as surrogate father,” he smiled.

“Really? I pick you!” she said, pointing to Luke. “You should be my surrogate father.” Luke started to open his mouth, then just laughed, realizing how many times his own father and grandfather had done the same for one of the wives.

“I would be honored,” said Luke. “Which means if Dan wants to take you back to the cottage tonight, he’s going to put a ring on it.”

“Wait, what?” gasped Finley.

“If he wants to live with you in that cottage, I want to know that he has your best interests at heart.” He smirked at Dan, giving a fast wink as Finley stared at him.

“He’s right, you know,” said Dan. “I should have asked this sooner, but I’m going to need you to agree to be my wife.”

“Your w-wife? But I’m not even sure how to be a girlfriend, let alone a wife!”

“We’ll learn together,” smiled Dan. “I’ve never been a husband before, but look at all these great examples. I’m crazy about you, Finley. I want you to be my wife and have babies with me. We’ll raise them here withourfamily. Marry me.”

She stared at him with a strange expression, then looked around at everyone in the room, waiting with anticipation. She looked from one face to another. Dozens of different people, young, old, and all ages in between. They were smiling, looking adoringly at her. Adoringly. No one had ever looked at her that way before.

“I’ll marry you. If I can have all of them, too.” The room erupted in laughter and applause. Dan lifted her, twirling her around.

“Done, baby. Done deal.”

CHAPER THIRTEEN

Dan couldn’t believe it. He was engaged to a woman he’d known less than a week. It shouldn’t surprise him. After all, his grandparents had been engaged in nearly the same amount of time. His parents, having known one another since they were kids, were a bit different but definitely took the long road to their happily ever after.

She was wearing the same ivory satin nightgown again, innocently prancing around the cottage.

Or was it innocent?

“You know what that nightgown does to me, right?” he smirked. She stared at him innocently, then the tiniest of smiles tilted her lip up.

“I might have noticed the changes in your body when I wear it,” she grinned. “Alexandra helped me to order four more in different colors.” Dan laughed, shaking his head.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this, Fin?”

“I’m ready for you to be my husband in every way. People always assume that because I’m on the spectrum, that I have no emotions, nor do I understand them. I understand them well, and I experience them just like everyone else. I just can’t always name them or express them in the ways others do.”

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