“This is on me,” I say firmly. “You want to be mad, Emma, I totally understand. But be mad at me. Not Shea.”
“Too late.” Emma lets out a rush of breath, before sinking down onto the couch. “Dammit. I hate to admit it, but…”
“But what?” Shea asks, disentangling herself from my arms and going to sit beside my daughter on the couch.
Emma splits a glare between us. “This makes total sense,” she mutters grudgingly. “Shea is an old soul. She doesn’t like to party. Doesn’t really socialize with people our age. All she wants to do is design fictional houses and get a good night’s sleep. Which makes her kind of a good fit for you, dad, as much I hate to say that out loud.” She sighs. “And Dad, you need someone to remind you that you’re still kind of young.”
My lips twitch. “Kind of?”
“I guess.” Emma slaps both hands over her face. “God, this is so weird. If you two get married, Shea will be mystepmother.”
Shea’s eyes twinkle with mirth. “We’re not getting m—”
“Don’t finish that sentence, Shea,” I interrupt, giving her a stern look. “I’ve got plans for us. Those plans include a ring.”
Her breasts heave up and down under the borrowed T-shirt, her eyes going glassy with a sudden onslaught of tears. “Do you really mean that?” she whispers, trembling.
“I’ll never say something to you I don’t mean, angel.”
She seems to sense my intense need to hold her, because she leaps up from the couch, runs a few steps and jumps into my waiting arms. Her scent wafts around me and I close my eyes, inhaling. I’m trying to act normal for my daughter’s sake, but there is nothing normal about the way I feel for Shea. She is holding my heart in one hand, my soul in the other.
“Wow,” Emma says from the couch. “You guys, like…love each other, don’t you?”
Shea looks up at me with a watery smile. “Yes. It was love at first sight.”
“Love at the very first sight,” I confirm, stroking a hand down her long hair.
It’s torture to take my eyes off Shea, but I look at Emma, needing her to be okay with this relationship. With everything that has happened. “I’m sorry about the secrecy, Emma. I’m sorry you found out like this.”
“We were going to take you out for sushi and tell you.” Shea whispers to me, “I would have packed you a sandwich, because of your fish allergy.”
“Thank you, angel.” On cloud nine, I kiss her forehead.
“I guess I can forgive you,” Emma mutters. “From a purely objective standpoint, you’re both hot. And you just…fit somehow, even though she’s a million years younger.” Relief filters into my blood when she cracks a smile. “I’m glad you found each other.”
“Thanks, Emma,” Shea breathes, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Does this mean I have to find a new roommate?” Emma asks with a quirked brow.
“Of course not,” Shea assures her automatically. “I’ll still live in the apartm—”
“Find a new roommate,” I growl, leaving no room for a discussion.
Emma laughs.
Shea joins in, breathless with excitement. Happy.
And that’s exactly how I plan to keep her.
epilogue
Shea
Five years Later
Most people would be bummedto have to work late.
Not me.
