I was alittlenervous, but that was more about the possibility of stumbling over my vows in front of everyone I knew.
Ending up married to Hayden was the reward at the end of the slightly uncomfortable day.
“I know,” Mr. Lewis said. “Wouldn’t be standing here if I wasn’t sure this was the real thing.”
“It is,” I assured him, but the way he looked at me said he didn’t need the reassurance.
“I knew that the moment I saw the two of you together. It was like looking at two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and knowing they were going to fit with each other before you even picked one of them up.”
I could hardly believe he’d been able to see that, but then, evenI’dfelt something when I first met Hayden.
Aside from the incredible embarrassment of being completely naked in front of my employer’s son.
“So,” Mr. Lewis continued, taking a plain white envelope out of his pocket and tapping it against his palm. “This is your wedding gift. I, uh… it’s… I think you’d prefer not to get it in public,” he said, holding the envelope out.
I took it carefully, wondering what the hell could be inside that I wouldn’t want to get in public.
“Open it,” Mr. Lewis insisted. “Go on.”
I met his eyes and saw that he really did want me to open it now, and then slipped my finger under the seal and pulled out the contents.
As soon as I looked at them, I understood why I wouldn’t have wanted him to do this in front of everyone.
I was going to pass out.
I flicked through the small stack of papers to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing, blood pounding in my ears as I skimmed through them.
The papers to subdivide the land the house was on, and the brand-new title to the guesthouse.
In my name.
“You can’t,” I said, staring at him, tears welling up in my eyes.
“I already have,” Mr. Lewis said. “This was all in my will, anyway. This was always going to you, Wes. I just… wanted you to have it now. Keep it, sell it on if you want, it’s yours.”
“But—“
“No buts,” Mr. Lewis said firm.
“I… Mr. Lewis, I can’t…”
“Oh, that’s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about,” he said. “Don’t you think it’s about time you started calling me Dad?”
If I’d been on the verge of tears before, I was in real trouble now.
“Really?” I asked, voice tiny even to my own ears.
“Really,” Mr. Lewis said. “I don’t think it’s a secret that I love you, Wes. The day I first held Hayden in my arms was the best of my life, but I’m thinking today’s about to overtake it. Always wanted another son.”
I burst into tears as Mr. Lewis—dad—wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tight and letting me rest against his shoulder.
I’d never been given so much in one day. The house paled in comparison to this.
“Love you too, Dad,” I murmured, another sob of joy escaping me as I said it.
Hayden poked his head around the corner at that moment, eyes widening. I waved him over, passing him the papers so he’d understand part of why I was in tears.
He smiled the soft, knowing smile of a man who wasn’t surprised at all.
