“Nicholas, every time I look at you, I see your daddy when he was a little boy,” my mother said as we were finishing our meal.
Nicholas offered a shy smile.
“Has Taylor come around at all?” Blair’s mom asked.
Blair shook her head. “Not yet.” She reached for my hand. “But we’re holding out hope.”
An awkward silence fell over the dining room, and I felt my nerves spike. As we began clearing the table, Blair’sdad headed out back. I realized it was probably my only chance to speak with him.
“Hey, Mr. Moynihan,” I called from behind him as I stepped outside. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Isn’t it a little strange to be calling a man basically your own age mister?” He raised a brow.
“Actually, it is.”
“I’m just messing with you.” He winked. “Call me Craig.”
“Craig. Thank you.”
He raised his chin. “What’s up?”
I sucked in a breath.
Here goes.
“It’s important to me that you approve of my relationship with Blair. I know this sounds hypocritical, but if I had a daughter, I think I’d want to kill a guy if he got her into the predicament Blair found herself in. I have a hard time reconciling the fact that this happened the way it did with the idea that I wouldn’t be okay in the same situation if it were my daughter. So, I can only imagine how you feel about me.”
He chuckled. “I think one thing we have in common right now is that we realize we have little control over the decisions our kids make. Just as you can’t control Taylor’s reaction to this situation, I’ve never been able to control Blair, particularly once she got to be a legal adult.” Craig shrugged. “I’m not gonna lie. I had every reaction at first that you probably feared I did. I wanted to kill you. I never thought I’d be able to stand across from you and not at least want to deck you.”
I swallowed and let him continue.
“But the truth is, Idon’twantto deck you. Blair seems happier than I’ve ever seen her. She says nothingbut amazing things about you, and that was the case even when we thought you were just a phantom who’d never reappear in her life.” He paused. “You’re also my grandson’s father. So I have to be respectful of that. I don’t have any intention of standing in the way of your relationship with my daughter.”
“I appreciate that so much.” I let out a relieved breath. “And in that case, I want to ask you something.”
He nodded once. “All right.”
“I don’t know when, but I plan to ask Blair to marry me. I’m hoping to have your blessing.” I swallowed.
Craig stared up at the sky for a moment. “Look, if the biggest problem I have with you is your age, that’s not enough of a reason to dim my daughter’s happiness. If you love her as much as you claim to, and if she loves you as much as I know she does, then yes. You have my blessing.”
I let out another long exhale. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.” I laughed nervously. “I’ve had literal nightmares about your reaction to this.”
“I wouldn’t say your fears are totally unfounded.” He flashed me a warning look. “As long as you’re alive, there’s still room for you to mess up. And if that happens, you’ll have to contend with me. In the meantime, if you and my daughter have another kid, I’ll be hoping it’s a girl.” Craig smirked. “You know, so I can sit back and laugh when you get to see firsthand how little control you have over your own daughter someday.”
Great. I shivered at the thought. “Appreciate the…well wishes.” I gritted my teeth and smiled.
He smacked me playfully on the shoulder. “My pleasure.”
Chapter 37
BLAIR
Tate had just left the house for a worksite one morning when there was a knock at the door.
Assuming he’d returned because he’d left something behind, I opened it, shaking my head. “I knew you’d forget something. I—”
But it wasn’t Tate. My heart clenched. “Taylor…”
