I swallow hard. Very hard.
Franklin doesn't blink. Not once.
This man has negotiated million-dollar deals, and raised Caroline Pennington — he is built different.
"I'm serious, Zachary," he says, voice calm but carrying weight. "This is my only daughter. The light of my life. The last heir to my sanity. I need to know she's safe with you."
Caroline drops her forehead into her hands. "Dad, please stop talking."
"Sweetheart, I will not," he says without breaking eye contact with me. "Now, Zachary... tell me."
I feel beads of sweat forming under my collar. I'm pretty sure my left eye twitches. The twins aren't here to witness this, but I can already hear the laughter they'd choke on.
"I... uh—" I clear my throat.
Nope. Voice cracked. Great start.
Franklin raises a brow. "Take your time. I'm only evaluating whether you're worthy of my daughter's heart."
"Daaaaad!" Caroline looks like she wants to crawl under the table and never return.
I force my lungs to work. "Sir... with all due respect... I care about your daughter more than anything."
He waits.
Okay, apparently I'm giving a TED Talk.
"I love her," I continue. "And I intend to take care of her, support her, and treat her the way she deserves — every day. I'm not going anywhere. I'm in this with her... for real."
Franklin's expression doesn't budge. If anything, it getsmoreunreadable — that terrifying dad-neutral that could either mean he approves... or he's mentally digging my grave behind the shed.
He steeples his fingers, leaning forward just slightly.
"And what," he asks, voice calm but carrying lethal fatherly weight, "does 'for real' mean, exactly?"
My spine straightens.
Caroline groans into her palms. "Daddy, stop—"
"No, no," he says, eyes never leaving mine. "I want to hear this. A man should have a plan if he wants to be with my daughter."
A plan. Right. Cool.
Totally fine.
I'm sweating through my shirt.
"Well, sir," I start, trying not to choke on air, "it means... I'm committed. To her. To us. Long-term."
Franklin raises a brow.
Long-term?
Why did I say long-term?
Why am I like this?
"So you see a future with her?" he asks, like he's casually discussing stock options and not my entire lifespan.
