“Like I was saying, there’s a pretty obvious solution for the little girl. She needs parents. She needs unconditional love. And with everything she’s been through, she deserves a pony. So…she probably needs someone with a lot of money.”
“Agreed,” Hopper says, fiddling with the A/C.
Dad grins at Hop in the rearview, and Hop spins around, a stunned expression on his face.
“Wait.You think Liam and I should adopt her?” Hopper asks, acting as if my father has just said the craziest thing he’s ever heard.
Which…funny.
“Obviously, if you don’t really wanna be parents at this stage in your life, totally understandable,” Dad says smoothly. “Kids are tough to keep up with.”
“Oh, he’s good,” Mav side whispers to me.
Mom and I share another tight-lipped glance. We’ve been on the receiving end of more than one Loyal Hitchens “I’ll manipulate you for your own good” speech.
It’s funny when it happens to other people.
“I have never had a hard time keeping up with my niblings, I’ll have you know,” Hopper says, irritated. He flexes an impressively muscled arm. “I am plenty strong.”
“Of course. I meant no offense. I just know that kids are a lot of hard work, and you shouldn’t just go get one on the suggestion of someone you just met.”
“Yeah, ’cause that’scrazy,” Hopper says, shifting in his seat.
He unrolls the window, then rolls it back up again.
Maverick laughs into his fist, then gestures toward Liam. Hopper remains irritated by my father’s insinuations, but Liam is biting his lower lip.
“Hopper, love, I think what Loyal is telling us is that he thinks we’d be pretty good dads to a little girl who’s seen some pretty terrible things,” Liam finally says.
“We would begreatdads because you’re amazing, and”—Hopper gestures to himself—“I survived being an underage prostitute, juvie, and that shitty halfway house. This would be easy.”
Hope and hurt collide in my chest.He really would be such a good dad.
“I doubt it’d be easy, lover,” Liam says, somehow mollifying Hopper without being condescending. “But certainly she’d know she was loved and protected.”
“This is what I’m saying.” Turning to me, Hopper demands, “Get Joni on the phone. Ask her what we need to do to get Bailey an emergency placement with us.”
Dad turns back and winks at me.
“Alright. So, thebossy for your owngood comes from Loyal,” Maverick says, rubbing his hands together.
“It can be a little fun when he gets bossy like that,” Mom says with a secret smile.
“Mom!”
“What? I’m just saying…”
Hopper is practically out of his seat, vibrating with purpose as he burns holes into my forehead, making a rolling gesture. “Have you called Joni yet?”
Laughing, I pick up my phone and hit the number. “Doing it right now, Daddio.”
Hopper’s face lights up like a Christmas tree, and he throws back his head, laughing and clapping. “That’s what Bailey will call me. She’ll call me Daddio, and she’ll call Liam Papa, and we’ll make sure she’s always safe and loved.”
Maverick grips my hand. Hopper’s talked about how losing their baby had all but destroyed him, and it’s touching to see how those who love himsowant him to be happy.
A single tear tracks down Liam’s cheek, and he grabs Hopper’s hand. “You know what, love? That sounds like a great idea.”
“Yeah, Hop,” I say, sending him a warm smile. “I can’t think of anyone who would be better at it than you and Liam.”
