Spinning to his friend now, Rhonan repeats, “What plan?”
Dilynne snaps her fingers twice, regaining Rhonan’s attention as Ellis hugs my legs right beneath me. I smooth her hair away from her face while trying to pay attention because even though I knew the girls had something planned for the evening, I didn’t know the details. But apparently, they were right about knowing Rhonan and the push he needed.
“Rhonan, you fail to realize that the male mind is actually very easy to hack into,” Dilynne starts. “And you, sir, were acting like your own worst enemy, so the girls and I decided to help you get out of your own way.”
“And how exactly did you do that?”
“By showing you what you could lose if you didn’t get over your fear,” Dilynne explains, directing her eyes over to me. “Your neighbor is a catch, and other men were starting to notice, weren’t they?” Her brow arches painfully high on her forehead.
“You mean…”
“Two of the men talking to her earlier were asked to, but the other two? They came over of their own accord.” She pats his chest. “You can thank me later. I prefer tools as gifts, but I’m sure you already knew that.”
Rhonan narrows his gaze on me, but then his eyes drop down to Ellis holding onto my legs and his face instantly softens. Without hesitation, he marches over to us, tips my chin up with his fingers, and presses his lips to mine. All of his friends—which I guess are mine now too—start cheering, drawing the attention of people around us.
When we part, Ellis gasps. “Daddy! You just kissed Ms. Lewis! That’s gross!”
Our group laughs around us now.
Rhonan peers down at his daughter. “Well, Ellis…when a boy likes a girl, sometimes they kiss.”
Her nose scrunches up. “That’s still gross, Daddy. Johnny says he likes me and I would never let him kiss me. He’s a dingleberry.”
I burst into laughter as Rhonan pinches the bridge of his nose.
Fletcher steps closer to us now. “I’m sorry, did your daughter just say the worddingleberry?”
“Yes.”
“Huh?” Fletcher scratches his chin. “Does that mean I’m forgiven for the stripper incident?”
Rhonan glares at Fletcher. “No, and you never will be.”
“Stripper incident?” I ask.
Elodie places her palm on my shoulder and whispers in my ear. “You should probably have that conversation with Rhonan away from Ellis. She just stopped telling people she wants to be a stripper like three months ago.”
Fletcher backs away from us with his hands up. “Just wanted to check.”
Rhonan crouches down so he’s at eye-level with his daughter. “Ellis, you can’t call people a dingleberry.” I fold my lips in to hide my smile as Rhonan continues. “But you also shouldn’t let Johnny kiss you…ever. In fact, I don’t think you should kiss a boy at all in your entire life.”
I swat at him playfully. “Don’t tell her that.”
“Ms. Lewis?” Ellis says, pulling on the waistband of my leggings, ignoring her dad.
“Yes, Ellis?”
“If you and Daddy are kissing now, does that mean you’re going to be my new mommy?”
“Oh, my heart,” Laney whispers behind us, but I’m too busy trying not to let my own heart jump from my chest.
“Um…”
“How about you start calling her Vienna for now,” Rhonan interjects as he stands, saving me from answering that question the wrong way.
Because how am I supposed to answer that at all? This man just admitted that he wants me for more than a physical relationship. That type of declaration is far from a marriage proposal.
And yet? The idea of not having this little girl in my life long-term is making me want to cry right here in the middle of the courtyard of Hart Winery.
