“Good. Now we just need to break the news to Emma.”
We walk into the house carrying the heavy box and set it down near the kitchen.We’ll have to find a place for this baby.Lance and I get to work on building the cabinet instantly, and surprisingly, it only takes us half an hour to have it all put together and ready for use.
After setting it up against the wall for the time being, I walk around the island and over to Em, who’s started preparing things for dinner. I wrap my arms around her waist from behind and rest my chin on her shoulder. “You’ll need to make a little extra for dinner.”
“Oh, okay. Why?” She turns her head slightly to see my face from the side.
“We have an extra guest coming over.” I grin, then look up at Lance, who stands on the other side of the kitchen. He has his hand at the back of his neck again, that tiny blush on his cheeks once more.
“Really? Who? Is Brey coming over?” she asks, her head down as she continues to chop away at the veggies.
“Nope, not my sister. Your dad’s girlfriend.” I press my lips together, trying not to laugh at how rapidly my words sank in. Her body goes stiff the second they leave my mouth.
Her head whips up as she places the knife down, staring straight at her father. “You have a girlfriend?!” she asks, stunned.
“Yes, it’s fairly recent. That’s why I haven’t brought it up, and I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it,” he says nervously.
“How I feel about this? I… I’m not sure.” Em turns slightly in my hold to face me better. “Babe, how do we feel about this?” She genuinely looks lost, as if she has no idea what to do and needs me to tell her.
I remove my arms from around her body and bring my hands up to her arms, rubbing up and down. “We feel good about this. We want your dad to be happy, certainly after spending years with your mother,” I tell her.
She scrunches up her nose in repugnance while staring off at my chest. “My mother.” Bitterness like venom pours from her lips. She nods and looks up into my eyes. “You’re right, we are happy about this,” she says sternly. Then a beautiful grin takes over, and she turns to her father. “I’m really happy you’ve found someone, Daddy. I can’t wait to meet them.” Pure sincerity flows through her words.Em’s mind is fascinating. She constantly goes from zero to a hundred, and I never know what to expect next.
The doorbell rings then and Lance tenses. “Yes, well, keep that thought in mind. I didn’t expect her to be here so soon; shesaid she was in the area and could come right away. I thought it would be best and give Emma more time to… adapt to the situation,” he informs us, looking anxiously at his daughter.
He then turns and leaves to greet the newcomer.I’m really curious who it could be.He doesn’t keep us guessing for long. Not even two minutes later, he walks back in holding the hand of a pretty familiar woman. Tall with long platinum-blonde hair and intimidating eyes, dressed like a fashionable businesswoman.
Holy shit. I did not expect this.
“Amanda?!” Em shouts, her mouth hanging wide open.
“Hello, Emma. It’s great to see you again,” Amanda replies with a warm smile.
“Uh… I…” Bunny shakes her head, closing her eyes for a second, then looks back at me. “Are we still happy about this?” she whispers.
“Yes, Bunny. We are,” I chuckle, kissing her temple.
“Okay, right, yes.” She turns back to the new couple. “It’s great to see you, too. I’m sorry, I’m just a little shocked. I mean, Dad, damn, lucky man. But Amanda, really? My dad?” She wrinkles her nose.
“Thanks, Sunflower,” her dad says with an unimpressed look while Amanda suppresses a giggle behind her hand, and I outright laugh.Em really has no filter sometimes.
“Your father is quite the charmer when he wants to be.” Amanda smiles up at Lance with fondness.
“Oh my God… This is really happening, isn’t it? I need my phone.” Bunny scurries away to retrieve her phone from the living room, bringing Gracie back along with her and depositing her in my arms.
She lifts her phone up and video calls Cecilia. “BABE!” she exclaims the minute the call connects, not giving Cecilia time to answer. “Daddy has a girlfriend!”
“What?!” Cecilia’s eyes widen to saucers, her jaw hanging down with her fork midway to her mouth, frozen in place.
Emma nods eagerly. “And you’ll never guess who it is!” She then turns around, lifting the phone higher so that Cece can see Lance and his girlfriend behind. “Say hi, everyone!”
“NO FREAKING WAY! AMANDA?!”
“Amanda? Like your old boss, Amanda?” Silas says from beside her, suddenly coming into the frame as well. “No way!” He throws his head back and laughs loudly. “That’s my man!”
Finally, we’re all laughing except for Em and Cecilia, who stare in complete shock at the outcome. Em hangs up moments later and looks at me with a smile. “This is strange, right?”
I shrug. “A little, but if they’re happy, then that’s all that matters.”
