I couldn’tfigure out what was worse, the thought of my father rocking my mother or myfather thinking of Huck rocking me. Either way, I wanted all the rocking in myhead to stop immediately.
“What?” Dadasked.
“Nothing.” Isighed. “It’s just awkward talking to your father about your love life.”
“Should it be?”he challenged. “You knew that I was aware you’d grow up one day, right?”
I shrugged.“Yeah. I guess.”
“Believe it ornot, as much as I loved when you were my little girl, I also looked forward tothe day we’d be able to talk about important stuff.” He raised an eyebrow. “Andwhat’s more important than fighting for the person you love?”
I gasped. “Whosaid I loved Huck?”
“Well, don’tyou?”
“It’s only beena week.”
Dad gave me asweet smile. “Do you remember Mr. Flopsy?”
“Of course. Hewas my very first pet.”
“No,” hecorrected. “He was your first love.”
I chuckled. “Whatare you talking about?”
“You know thosecartoons where the characters lock eyes and the red hearts appear above theirheads?” he asked, and I nodded. “Well, that’s what happened when you were eightand you saw that bunny at the farmer’s market. I swear I saw it with my owneyes… little hearts over your head, the second you saw him. He was the runt ofthe litter and missin’ a foot, but you didn’t want any of the other bunnies inthe pen. Just him.”
I chuckled.“Well, he was special.”
“See? That’swhat I’m talking about,” he said. “You latch onto who you latch onto. Andyou’ve always loved who you love, no matter what anyone says. You have aninnate ability to not only see, but foster, the absolute best qualities in aperson. It’s something that I admire about you and strive to be like myself.”
I burst intotears. “Really?”
“Yeah, baby,really.”
“Well, mark medown for all future adult father-daughter talks.”
He pulled meinto his arms and kissed my temple. “Welcome to the club, Ducky.”
We stood in thekitchen, our arms wrapped around each other, and I let the love that only afather could show seep into me. By the time my parents left me, I was feelingmuch better about my world and my place in it.
Daisy
AT ALMOST FIVE that afternoon, I got anotification on my phone that there was movement in my hallway. I opened theapp and watched as Huck paced outside my door, a paper bag in one hand, hisother scrubbing the back of his neck.
I was currentlywrapped in one of my blankets on my sofa, reading a romance novel on my tablet,so I sat up and made a move to answer the door.
But I stoppedmyself.
Huck wasobviously working something out and I needed to let him do that.
I set my bookaside and stayed glued to my phone, watching as he stepped to my door, thenstepped back, lowered his head, and shook it, then squared his shoulders.
I smiled. God,he was so cute as he obviously tried to bolster his courage to knock on mydoor.
Finally, theknock came, and I waited a few seconds before rushing to the door. Taking adeep breath, I pulled it open and bit my lip. God, he was gorgeous. “Hi.”
“Hey,beautiful.” He lifted the bags and smiled. “I was wondering if you werehungry.”
