Page 4 of Wanted: Unwavering Daddy

“But what? We have plenty of money with all of the investments you’ve made over the years, more than we could ever possibly spend. If you hate your job, then why stay there?”

“You know why. I want to be able to take good care of you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Daddy, you know I don’t care about money. Do I love being able to change things up in our home whenever I feel like it? Sure, I do, but if anyone knows that money can’t buy happiness, it’s me. My parents were ridiculously wealthy, and it was still never enough. You’ve never been like that, and I don’t want you to fall into that trap.”

He frowned. “It feels irresponsible to retire so?—”

I cut him off as I moved around and sat cross-legged by his side. Pulling his hand between mine, I smiled sweetly. “You’ve taken such good care of me all these years, but I don’t think you pay enough attention to yourself and your own needs. I know it was tough growing up in your house, and it took years for your parents to have financial stability, but that’s not our situation.”

He nodded. “You’ve also seen what that turned my parents into. My father is worn out, and my mother is bitter at all the hours he spent out of the house working.”

I tipped my head in acknowledgment. “I know. But I think the biggest issue with your parents is probably that they kind of hate each other. But”—waving my hand in the air, I pushed talk of his parents aside” —neither of us is particularly close to our families, and we’re both happy with that. After all, we have each other. If we have to leave everything as-is in our home until the day we die, that’s fine as long as I have you. I want you to be happy, Daddy. I want you to be selfish for once and put your own needs first.”

“How did I get so lucky?” He leaned up on his elbow, and I bent down to join our lips together in a sweet kiss.

“I’m the lucky one,” I murmured against his lips.

We shared another kiss, then John pulled back and grinned boyishly. God, how I wanted to see that expression on his face every day. “I’ve got to get out of bed if I’m going to meet with Roland on time.”

“Perfect. I’m coming, too. I’m hanging out with Kenny for the afternoon. I’m pretty sure he invited some of the other guys over, as well.”

John nodded. “That’ll be good. I was worried when Jackson said that he was taking Timothy on an extended vacation in Europe that you’d go stir crazy without him, so it’s nice seeing you and Kenny growing even closer than you were before.”

He wasn’t wrong to have been worried. When Timothy first started talking about traveling with Jackson, I’d been heartbroken. I knew it wasn’t forever, but he’d been my best friend since I first moved to Takoda. Hell, in my whole life. But over the years, all of the friends we’d made at The Tap Tavern had become like family. It wasn’t until Timothy left that I’d realized how much I’d carved out a spot with the boys who were all fondly referred to asToby’s Crew.

It wasn’t like my roommates when I first moved here, who I only developed surface relationships with and lost touch soon after I moved in with John. I’d found my family with this unlikely bunch, just like I’d found the most wonderful Daddy in the world, and I’d be forever grateful.

Chapter Two

WILL

“Roland is seriously hot. How do you even stand it?” I asked Kenny as our Daddies disappeared into the other room to talk business.

Kenny fanned his face. “I know, right? After so many duds, I finally struck the jackpot.”

“You sure did.” Leaning forward, I tapped his knee. “I’m so happy for you.”

As he opened his mouth to reply, the front door opened, and Indie yelled out, “Hello, we’re here.” Our friends Luca, Chip, and Julian trailed in behind him. “What’re we doing?”

Kenny smiled. “Will was congratulating me on finding the best Daddy ever.”

I held up a finger. “Actually, I said hottest.”

Indie groaned as he dropped down on the couch next to Kenny. “Stop. I love that Rollie found someone, and I can admit he’s handsome, but… ew. No. You can’t talk about him like that in front of me.”

Kenny threw an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t worry. I’m going to be the best stepdad ever, and I’ll protect your precious ears.”

We all laughed. Luca fixed his gaze on me. “John’s a pretty great Daddy, too. I don’t know if I ever heard how you two met.”

“Oh.” I clapped my hands together. “That’s my favorite story. So once upon a time…”

~Eight years ago~

“Areyou sure it’s safe? What if it’s a ruse to murder us all?”

Swiveling in my seat, I tore my gaze from the monstrosity of a house on my right to glare at my best friend incredulously. “What have you been watching on TV?”

Timothy shrugged. “It’s not that. It’s just we don’t know this guy.”

---