Page 240 of Love Unwritten

“What are you looking at?” He tugs at the bow he just finished tying around Penelope’s hair and restarts.

“You’d be a great girl dad.”

He smiles to himself. “You think so?”

“I know so.” I check out his handiwork. For someone with hair too short to braid, he sure knows what he is doing. “Where did you learn to braid hair like that?”

“Dahlia and Lily made us play with their dolls growing up.”

“They did?”

His cheeks flush. “Yup.”

“Well, it worked. You’re better than I am at that.”

He fidgets with the bow. “I doubt that.”

“I’m being serious. Good thing you had a boy, or else you’d be braiding your daughter’s hair every single day.”

He clears his throat. “Would you want one?”

“What?”

“A daughter.”

His question completely catches me off guard. “Um…”

My anxiety grows as I consider telling the truth.

Of course I would want one, but I also understand Rafael may never come around to having kids, so—

“Having a girl may kill me in the process, but I’d want one…in the future.”

My heart jolts. “You do?”

“Yup. And I’d be the best girl dad in the world, just so no one else would ever compare.”

I laugh before pulling him into a kiss. “Does that mean you’re coming around to the idea of adopting?”

“One day, yes. But for now, I just want to keep you all to myself.”

Likewise.

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

Rafael

I reach for the doorbell and stop myself. When I agreed to the idea of bringing Ellie to a Sunday lunch at the Muñoz house, it sounded nice in theory. My family wanted to celebrate my girlfriend returning to Lake Wisteria, most likely because they no longer have to put up with my grumpy ass now that she is back.

“If they start annoying you with all their questions, let me know,” I tell her.

Ellie laughs. “I think I can handle it, but thanks for the offer.”

“Lily and Dahlia may team up to get information out of you about us.”

“Who says they haven’t already tried?”

I stare at her.

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