Page 198 of With a Cherry On Top

“Until you’re twenty-one,” I say, snatching it back. “Especially since you’re going to your first party tonight. You need to be sharp.”

“Unbelievable,” she mumbles, weakly shaking her head. “You know Finn is driving us, right?”

Oh,Finnis driving them. Lucky us.

“Tell yourboyfriendif I hear he’s had even a sip of anything but soda?—”

“He doesn’t drink.” She rolls her big brown eyes. “And stop saying ‘boyfriend’ like that. It sounds like you don’t like him.”

I don’t. I see the way he looks at her. He hasideas.

“Dad, I mean it.”

“Hey, I’m still better than uncle Logan.”

She cackles. “Finn is terrified of him.”

Good. I might have promised her I’d talk to him, and I did, but not to ask him to back offexactly.

She smacks her thighs. “Okay, well?—”

“You’re already leaving?”

“Well, you took my beer!”

“Okay, okay. Wait. I want to talk to you about something.” I set both bottles beside me. “You remember the first time I told Charlotte I loved her?”

She looks up at the starry sky. “I don’tremember, but you’ve told me the story a million times.”

“I was just about to tell her, and you?—”

“I waltzed in and said, ‘I think my dad loves you.’”

That’s right. Little party pooper that she was. “It was kind of perfect. I mean, I was really nervous about saying it, and you...”

“Damn, I reallyamyour best friend.”

“You are.”

She smiles, beautiful and happy—the best thing I’ve ever done with my life, and I’ve done some pretty great things.

I fit a hand into my pocket and pull it back out. “Maybe you’d like to help me again?”

Eyes flicking to the ring box in my hands, she gasps. “Oh my god—Dad?! Are you propo?—”

“Shhh!” I swat her arm, then point my thumb at the house.

“Oh my god. Oh my god.” She opens the box and gasps again. “Dad,oh my god.”

I guess she likes it.

Lips wobbling, she throws her arms around me. “I’m so happy for you. This is—” She chuckles. “The weirdest and most unexpected birthday gift.”

“I thought so.” I kiss the side of her head. “I also got you the guitar you wanted.”

“Of course you did.” She pulls back and stares at the ring again. “Dad, she’s going toloveit.”

“You think?”

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