“Only I’ll be the one driving.”
The pout that formed on her face was adorable. “Aww, Dad.”
Shit, she sounded like me at her age.
“Aww, Muffin,” I replied, teasing her.
She got out of the car and came around to the other side. “Fine, at least we get to go out in the car.”
“Get in back and we’ll go to the house and put your booster in this car.” I opened the back door. “What do you say I take my girl out to lunch?”
Giving me a thumbs up and a megawatt smile, she climbed into the back. “Sounds good to me, but mom thinks she’s your girl.” I could hear the teasing tone in her voice.
“You’rebothmy girls,” I told her before shutting the door.
Opening the big roll-up garage door, I let my gaze scan my surroundings. Even though it was a cold January day, the scene before me was beautiful. In my opinion, it was magical all year round on the lake.
Once I got the car pulled out, I closed the garage up and got back in the Camaro. I glanced in the mirror at my beautiful angel, so full of life, and my heart beat with love.
She wasmine.
“Dad, are we going? I’m starving and I can’t wait to ride in your car.”
I grinned at her in the mirror. “You bet, Muffin. But you know what?”
“What?”
I twisted around in my seat to look at her. “This isn’t just my car.”
Her little face scrunched up. “It’s not?”
“Nope, it’s our car.”
Those big brown eyes of hers widened. “You mean it’s mine too?”
“You bet it is.”
With her small hand closed in a fist, she threw her arm in the air in victory. “That’s awesome. I have a car, I have a car!” she chanted.
I pointed at her. “But you still can’t drive until you’re older.”
“That’s okay. I have a car, I have a car!” she began again.
Shaking my head at my silly girl, I turned back in my seat and started the car.
And we were off.
“Yay!” Stormi yelled.
My dad would have loved every second of this. He had loved Lake like a daughter and he would have loved Stormi too. I didn’t remember my mother like I did my father, but they loved each other like Lake and I did.
And they loved me just like I did the little girl who sat in the backseat.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
LAKE
The pouton his handsome face was adorable.
