A blush creeps up my cheeks as I see my father silently chuckling at my side.
“I miss you, too. I can’t wait for you to come home.” I get up from the couch and kneel down beside Gracie, bringing her into view. “Look, Little Tulip, it’s Daddy! Say, ‘Hi, Dada.’ Hi.” I take her hand, waving it around. She looks up at the camera for asecond but quickly goes back to her new toys. “I think you have some competition there,” I giggle.
“I can see that.” He chuckles. “You at your dad’s?”
I nod my head. “Yeah, we just got here not long ago. And as always, my father is spoiling your daughter like crazy.” I narrow my eyes to slits and frown over at my father.
Greyson laughs wholeheartedly. “Yeah, I’m not surprised. How are you, Lance?”
I rise from my kneeling position and go back to the couch, bringing my father into the frame.
“I’m good, son. Are you still treating my daughter well?” He raises a brow in question.
A devilish side smirk takes over Greyson’s handsome face, white pearly teeth peeking through. “You don’t want to know just how well I’m treating your daughter.” He looks at me and winks.
The flush on my cheeks spreads like wildfire. “Oh God, can we not talk about our after-hour activities with my father, please?” I widen my eyes at Greyson, letting him know to quit it. Both men laugh.
“So tomorrow’s the big game? You guys win this one, and you’re automatically in for the playoffs. And most likely claiming the President’s Trophy as well,” my dad says.
Greyson nods with a thrilled smile, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Yup. We’re twenty points ahead in our division and twelve overall.”Yeah, here’s where they lose me. I know a bit about hockey, but now they’re just talking gibberish.
I pass the phone over to my father as they continue talking about hockey and pick up Gracie, who now demands my attention.I lift her in my outstretched arms and throw her lightly in the air.
She shrieks and squeals over and over as I repeat the movement, bringing her down to my face and rubbing our nosestogether between each throw. After a few more lifts, we’re both laughing with pure joy.
When I turn my head to the side, I notice Greyson and my father have stopped talking. The camera has now been angled my way, with Grey getting a full view of us having our little moment of fun.
My heart warms in my chest at the look on his face. There’s only one word to describe it,love. “I miss you so much, baby. I miss you both so much,” he says softly.
“We miss you, too. Come home to us soon.”
“Soon.”
We get lost in the moment, our eyes burning deep inside each other’s soul.
“Bunny… I—” he starts but stops to look up at whoever just entered the room.
“Yo, time to get ready. Oh, shit. You’re on the phone.” Silas suddenly joins the frame with a wide grin. “Hey, Mackenzie. Hi, Princess Dino,” he says before bouncing back off the bed and wandering off.
Greyson sighs and looks down with disappointment for a moment. He looks back up and offers me a sad smile. “I gotta go, baby. I’ll call you tonight after the game. Kiss Buttercup goodnight for me.”
“I will. Bye, Wolf.”
“Bye, Bunny,” he whispers back before hanging up.
My dad sets my phone down on the table in front of us, and I place Gracie back on the ground as she tries to wiggle out of my hold. When I turn back to my father, he gazes at me with an intense look.
“You love him.”
“So much…” I whisper. “I’ve never felt anything like this, Daddy. Sometimes it’s so strong, I feel like I can’t breathe. I feel completely lost when he’s not here, like I don’t know how tofunction anymore without him. It’s never been like this.” I take a few calming breaths, trying to gain control over my emotions quickly surfacing.
“I don’t know how I ever thought I loved Tommy, because I didn’t feel an ounce of what I feel for Greyson. And that terrifies me. He has the power to destroy me, and even if I didn’t want that, there would be no way for me to stop this.” I don’t realize my hands are shaking until my father puts his over mine. I sniffle and blink rapidly, trying to clear the glossiness from my eyes.
“It’s normal to be scared, Sunflower, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Because from where I’m standing, with the way he looks at you, it’s clear as day that he feels the exact same way,” he tries to reassure me, his thumb rubbing over my knuckles. “Don’t fight those feelings, sweetheart; cherish them. People would kill to feel them, even just for one day. Hell, even I wish I could have had that kind of love in my life. I’m just glad you get to experience it because it’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.”
“But I don’t even know if we want the same things. I want the whole fairytale, Dad. The wedding, the house, the kids. He already has two-thirds of those things. What if he doesn’t want more kids? Or to ever get married?” I say, worry lacing my voice.I know he mentioned it in his song, but what if they were just words?
“I think that’s a talk you two should have. And if he doesn’t, then you need to figure out if those are things you are willing to give up.”
